Mumbai: South Africa scored a morale-boosting four runs victory over India in a warm-up match at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
Though it was a practice match, both the teams battled hard. For the packed stadium it was a brilliant contest, South Africa posted a mammoth 196 for 8 in 20 overs through fine knocks from Quinton De Kock’s 56 runs off 33 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes and JP Duminy’s 67 off 44 balls with six boundaries and three sixes.
India chased but could manage only 192 for 3 through knocks from Shikhar Dhawan’s 73 off 53 balls with ten boundaries and Suresh Raina’s 41 off 26 balls with three boundaries to two sixes.
It was a match in which the top scorers retired to give way for later batsmen in both the teams. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, in the end hit a breezy unbeaten 31 to bring the team close to victory.
After Raina and Dhawan retired , Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh took charge. Dhoni hooked Steyn for a towering six and also square drove him for a boundary. With 28 runs needed off the last 12 overs, Yuvraj hit Abott ‘s last ball for a six. This reduced the needed runs to 14 runs off the last over from Chris Morris. Dhoni by hitting Morris to mid-wicket boundary made it six needed off last ball but Morris bowled a wide. Needing five off the last ball, Dhoni could manage only one run and South Africa won by four runs.
South Africa, batting first, lost an early wicket in the second over when opener Hashim Amla got out for 5, caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Jasprit Bumrah, who kept beating batsmen outside the off stump.
Skipper Faf Du Plessis lasted just seven balls before Mohammad Shami had him caught at point by Ravindra Jadeja for 12. Jean Paul Duminy and Quinton de Kock steadied the innings. Quinton went for his shots and raced to his half century in 28 balls seven fours and two sixes. Duminy played the supporting role brilliantly.
Quniton put on 77 runs in 8.1 overs with Duminy and retired at his score on 56 off 33 balls with seven four and two sixes. David Miller joined Duminy at the score on 110 for 3 in 11.6 overs. Duminy took charge and played some lovely shots and reached his 50 off 36 balls with four boundaries and two sixes. He became a Shami victim after cracking 67 off 44 balls with six boundaries and three sixes.
Miller fell for 18 after putting on 38 runs in 3.3 overs with Duminy. He got caught behind off Hardik Pandya. Rilee Rossouw began by hitting Pandya for a huge six but fell to Pandya for 11. David Wiese too got caught behind off Pandya for a duck . Next man Chris Morris got yorked by Bumrah for 14 and South Africa was stopped before reaching the 200 run mark. India’s ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was rested for the match.
Indian openers Rohit Sharma who hit 10 runs off the first over from Dale Steyn fell for the same score, trapped leg before by Kyle Abott in the second over. Virat Kohli, who joined Shikhar Dhawan lasted just two balls, slashing at Steyn and got caught behind by Quinton for 1. This brought in Ajinkya Rahane. Dhawan pulled Abott for a boundary while Ajinkya played a beautifully timed cover drive off Morris. He also off drove Morris for another boundary. His innings came to an abrupt end clean bowled by Imran Tahir for 11 after he put on 32 runs in 4.1 overs with Dhawan.
At the half way mark, india scored 84 for 3 needing another 113 runs off the last 10 overs. Suresh Raina with Dhawan accelerated the run rate. Dhawan reached his half century by pulling Tahir for a boundary off just 35 balls with eight boundaries Raina too batted aggressively hitting David Wiese for a six.
In the last five overs, India needed 60 runs. Both Raina (41) and Dhawan (73) retired after putting on 94 runs in 59 balls.
Brief scores
South Africa 196 for 8 in 20 overs (Quinton De Kock 56rtd out, JP Duminy 67, Mohammad Shami 2 for 37, Jasprit Bumrah 2 for 51, Hardik Pandey 3 for 36) India 192for 3 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 73rtd out, Suresh Raina 41rtd out, Mahendra Singh Dhoni 30n.o).
