The inexperience of the Indian middle-order was in full display on Wednesday while chasing against South Africa wh0 went 1-0 up in the 3-match ODI series. South Africa beat the visitors by 31 runs in the first ODI at at Boland Park in Paarl. The hosts have already won the 3-match Test series, and with this lead are looking confident to register one more series win.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma scored a brilliant century against the Indian side, 110 off 143 balls, while on the other end Rassie van der Dussen also scored 129 runs off just 96 balls to rescue the South Africa from 68/3 to close at 296/4. The South African duo added 204 runs for the 4th wicket.
From the Indian bowling line-up, Jasprit Bumrah (2/48) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1/53) were among the only two wicket-takers. Debutant Venkatesh Iyer contributed the fourth wicket in Aiden Markram (4) with a run-out.
The Indian batting line-up lost their new skipper KL Rahul early at a score of just 12 runs. Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli had a very good partnership for the 2nd wicket but after the departure of Kohli at 51, who again failed to convert his 50 into 100, the whole middle order of the Indian side collapsed.
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Shardul Thakur who scored a brilliant half-century but due to lack of support from the other end failed to make India win the match, and the Indian side ended their innings at 265/8 with Shikhar Dhawan as the top-scorer who scored 79 before getting bowled to Keshav Maharaj. Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Andile Phehlukawayo added 2 wickets each to their tally.
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Brief scores: South Africa 296/4 in 50 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 129*, Temba Bavuma 110; Jasprit Bumrah 2-48) beat India 265/8 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 79; Andile Phehlukwayo 2-26) by 31 runs. Player of the Match: Rassie van der Dussen.