India evens ODI series 2-2 at Chennai – Virat Kohli hits a century

#INDvsSA #ViratKohli #abdevilliers #SureshRaina It was another interesting ODI at Chennai between South Africa and India – and, thanks to some useful batting, India managed to put up a score of 200 for 8. Virat Kohli scored a century, it was his 23rd, and that laid the foundation of a 35-run win for the home team.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 22 October 2015.

It was an innings that Virat Kohli will cherish because he was desperate to end a run of 12 completed innings without a century dating back to India's World Cup opener on March 15. It was his first against South Africa and, his 138 was key to India's series-levelling victory at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Suresh Raina also chipped in with a 53 and appeared to have returned to form after his failures in the earlier ODIs of the series.
However, AB de Villiers could have spoiled India’s show because he also hit a century and his awe-inspiring 112 threatened to seal the series for South Africa. But, the series is now level at 2-2, with the last ODI scheduled at Mumbai – it would be a contest worth looking forward to.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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South Africa beat India by 18 runs in 3rd ODI at Rajkot

#INDvsSA #mornemorkel #QuintondeKock #fafduplessis It was another forgettable outing for India’s Men in Blue when they succumbed to pressure and lost the 3rd ODI at Rajkot by 18 runs. The disappointment was because of the failure of the Indian batting attack in front of disciplined bowling of the visitors who gave nothing away. At the end of the day, India could not overhaul the target of 270 set by the South Africans thanks to the knocks of Quinton de Kock (103) and Faf de Plessis (60).
This has been reported in oneindia.com dated 19 October 2015.

India lost the chase in the last 15 overs with a flurry of wickets falling like nine pins as they ended at 252 for six. Most of the damage was done by Morne Morkel who returned figures of 4 for 39 and, literally, throttled the home side batsmen in the final stages.
In spite of half centuries from Rohit Sharma (65) and Virat Kohli (77) and with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni chipping in with 47 in 61 balls, India could not get a win. After 35 overs, India were 162 for 2 but the as game progressed it gradually slipped out of their hands.
Suresh Raina went for a big one off Imran Tahir and perished in the 44th over. And, then, Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane were dismissed by Morkel in successive balls in the 46th over – and, it was all over.
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A determined M S Dhoni scripts a win in Indore ODI against South Africa

#INDvsSA #Dhoni #HolkarStadium #Indore #AjinkyaRahane It all happened at Holkar Cricket Stadium Indore when M S Dhoni, the Indian ODI captain, took control of a game that looked to be another terrible performance for the home team. With the support of tail-enders, Dhoni returned to his form and hammered the South Africa bowlers to remain not out on 92. He along with Ajinkya Rahane also ensured that the score was a respectable one at 247 for 9. They were the only two batsmen to cross 50.
This has been reported in cricbuzz.com dated 14 October 2015.

And, the Indian bowlers Axar Patel (3 for 39) and Bhubaneshwar Kumar (3 for 41) succeeded in checking the South African batsmen to ensure a win by 22 runs – the visitors folded up for 225 in 43.4 overs.
M S Dhoni was adjudged Man of the Match – and, by the way he batted and used his bowlers, he has sent across a message to his critics that he is still a force to reckon with and cannot be written off so quickly.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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India commits hara-kiri in Kanpur – lose 1st ODI to South Africa

#INDvsSA #RohitSharma #abdevilliers #msdhoni #kanpur It was sheer hara-kiri that the Indians committed in Kanpur when the gifted away the 1st ODI of the series away to the visiting South Africans. First the home team allowed the visitors to pile up a huge 303 runs and then lost their nerve to fold up tamely – Indians lost the game by 5 runs.
This has been reported in dnaindia.com dated 11 October 2015.

Rohit Sharma (150 runs off 133 balls) made a brave effort to win despite the odds being stacked against the team but, when he left and India needed 22 off the last two overs with Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the crease, it was hoped that India would script a win.
But, that did not happen – and Dhoni failed to rise to the occasion. He just could not hit a sixer that could have made the difference.
Rohit Sharma's eighth ton in ODIs went in vain.
AB de Villiers scored an unbeaten 104 off 73 balls and was named the Man of the Match.
The 303 scored by South Africa was the highest score at this venue – it surpassed 294 made by the hosts in 2007.
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India lose T20 match and series at Cuttack, crowd throws bottles

#RohitSharma #ViratKohli #RavichandranAshwin #INDvsSA Put in to bat by the visiting South Africans, the home team struggled to a score only 92 runs and could not even play put the allotted 20 overs. With two runouts of Rohit Sharma (22) and Virat Kohli (1) and inability to open accounts by Ambati Rayudu, Harbhajan Singh Bhibaneshwar Kumar and Mohit Sharma, it was a miserable showing by a team known for its brilliant batting power.
It all came to naught and, understandably, the huge crowd at the Barabtri Stadium was disappointed – and, they expressed their anger by throwing bottles on the field.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 6 October 2015.

India could play for only 17.2 overs and the visitors overhauled it in 17.4 overs – thus, they won not only the match but, also the 3-match series. Incidentally, this was India's second lowest T20 score after their 74 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in February 2008.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (3-24) was the only wicket taker and he tried his best to defend a low score, but such a low score is difficult to defend.
The behavior of the crowd tarnished India's image at the cricket venue.
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Undaunted by a target of 200, South Africa romp home in Dharamsala with two balls to spare

#Duminy #IndvsSA #RohitSharma Undaunted by a target of 200 set by India in the 1st T-20 in Dharamsala, South Africa took up the challenge in real earnest and overhauled the total with 2 balls to spare. They needed 10 runs per over from the word go and they undertook the challenge and emerged victorious.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 3 October 2015.

Indian opener Rohit Sharma's maiden T-20 century in the HPCA Stadium went in vain and South Africa began their long Indian tour on a winning note thanks to some sparkling stroke play by J P Duminy (68 not out) and A B de Villiers (51).
Test skipper Hashim Amla (36) and ODI skipper de Villiers laid the foundation of the win with their 77-run opening stand and then Duminy took over to guide the visitors to the finish line. His 68 runs was scored off just 34 balls and it was his 105-run unbeaten partnership for the fourth wicket with Farhaan Behardien (32 not out) that sealed the game in their favor.
Duminy He punished the Indian bowlers with seven sixes.
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India breaks the World Cup jinx – beats South Africa convincingly in CWC 2015

#CWC2015 #INDvsSA #Dhoni #Proteas #MCG India had never beaten South Africa in any Cricket World Cup matches till it finally happened in Melbourne when India beat them convincingly by 130 runs as reported in zeenews.india.com dated 23 February 2015.
It was a wonderful win coming on the back of the win against arch rivals Pakistan and with twin wins under his belt, captain M S Dhoni is a much relieved man – thanks to his team delivering on all fronts. While the batsmen put on the runs on the board to reach a huge score of 307 runs, his bowlers kept chipping off at the South Africans till their miseries ended by the 41st over. They could not last for the full 50 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan’s 170 coupled with 79 by Ajinkya Rahane happened in the morning session when Dhoni chose to bat after winning the toss. And, in the afternoon it was Ravichandra Ashwin with his 3 wickets followed by 2 wickets each by Mohit Sharma and Mohammad Shami that brought the win for India. The Proteas were left wondering what had hit them!!
Before the start of the game, there were fears that Dale Steyn would create havoc but, the fears were unfounded because Indian batsmen played him to perfection and he managed to bag only one wicket for 55 runs.