Raina ton guides India to 14-run win over Proteas
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia : Suresh Raina became only the third player to make a Twenty20 international century as India beat South Africa by 14 runs in their second group league match to make the Super Eight in the World Twenty20 Cup here yesterday.
Only West Indies’ Chris Gayle and New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum had previously made centuries at this level. Left-hander Raina, who finished on 101, had an escape on five when he was caught off a Morne Morkel no-ball.
It was an expensive error by the fast bowler, with Raina striking five sixes and nine fours as he reached his century off 59 balls.
Together with Yuvraj Singh (37), Raina shared a stand of 88 in 10 overs after the pair came together at 32 for two in the sixth over.
Both batsmen were severe on fast bowler Rory Kleinveldt, whose four overs cost 48 runs.
India took 25 runs off Kleinveldt’s last over, the 18th, with Yousuf Pathan hitting the first ball for six.
In the last over, Raina was on 95 and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on strike. But on getting strike, Raina wasted little time in completing his hundred with a six. He was dismissed the next ball.
Replying to an imposing Indian total of 186 for five wickets on a slow wicket, South Africa gave a late charge, but could only muster 172 for five.
The Group C World Twenty20 match was held at the Beausejour Stadium.
Scoreboard:
India:
D. Karthik c Smith b Kallis 16
M. Vijay c Boucher b Kleinveldt 0
S. Raina c AB de Villiers b A Morkel 101
Yuvraj Singh c Smith b Kleinveldt 37
Y. Pathan c van der Merwe b Steyn 11
MS Dhoni not out 16
Harbhajan Singh not out 0
Extras (w4, nb1) 5
Total (5 wkts, 20 overs) 186
Did not bat: R Jadeja, P Kumar, P Chawla, A Nehra
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Vijay), 2-32 (Karthik), 3-120 (Yuvraj), 4-163 (Pathan), 5-178 (Raina)
Bowling: Kleinveldt 4-0-48-2 (1w); Steyn 4-0-24-1; M Morkel 4-0-32-0 (1nb, 2w); A Morkel 3-0-39-1; Kallis 4-0-30-0 (1w); Van der Merwe 1-0-13-0
South Africa
J. Kallis c Jadeja b Chawla 73
L. Bosman c Chawla b Pathan 8
G. Smith run out (Kumar/Dhoni) 36
AB de Villiers c Chawla b Nehra 31
A. Morkel c Harbhajan b Pathan 12
M. Boucher not out 4
JP Duminy not out 4
Extras (b1, lb2, nb1) 4
Total (5 wkts, 20 overs) 172
Did not bat: R van der Merwe, M Morkel, R Kleinveldt, D Steyn
Fall of wickets: 1-21 (Bosman), 2-118 (Smith) 3-128 (Kallis), 4-152 (A Morkel)
Bowling: Harbhajan 4-0-33-0; Kumar 1-0-3-0; Nehra 4-0-27-1 (1nb); Pathan 4-0-42-0 Chawla 3-0-27-1; Jadeja 4-0-37-0
Toss: South Africa
Man-of-the-match: Suresh Raina (IND)
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