Rilee Rossouw hit a maiden T20I ton as South Africa beat India by 49 runs in the final and third ODI at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Tuesday, 4 October. With the win, the Proteas managed to end the series 2-1, having already lost the first two matches to the hosts.
The seasoned Rossouw was on a rampage as he scored an unbeaten 100 off just 48 deliveries while wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock offered South Africa a solid start with a 68 off 43 balls.
Chasing a massive 227, the Indian innings folded for 179 runs with Dwaine Pretorious emerging as the best bowler for the Proteas with figures of 3/26 from 3.3 overs. Meanwhile, Wayne Parnell (2/41), Lungi Ngidi (2/51) and Keshav Maharaj (2/34) also chipped in with two wickets each.
Rossouw Powers South Africa to 227/3
Earlier, South Africa started well despite losing Temba Bavuma (3 off 8 balls) quickly. The South African skipper’s nightmare of a series continued as he departed off Umesh Yadav’s ball in the fifth over.
If Bavuma found the going tough, his partner Quinton de Kock was in scintillating touch on the other end. The wicketkeeper-batter extended his form from the second T20I and shared an 89-run partnership for the second wicket with Rilee Rossouw to put South Africa in command.
However, India got the much-needed breakthrough in the 13th over when de Kock (68 off 43 balls) was run out by Shreyas Iyer, who had been exceptional in the field until then.
While de Kock departed, Rossouw was in no mood to stop as he swung his bat in merry taking South Africa past the 200-run mark alongside new batter Tristan Stubbs.
It seemed to be Rossouw’s day as everything he touched turned to gold and it was not long before he raced to an unbeaten hundred off 48 balls – his first ever T201 century.
Meanwhile, Stubbs (23 off 18 balls) and Rossouw put out an 87-run stand for the third wicket before the former gifted his wicket with a premeditated scoop shot in the final over of the South African innings.
Deepak who bowled the final over, however, leaked 24 runs, courtesy of some power hitting from David Miller (19 not out off 5 balls), once again laying concerns regarding India’s death bowling woes.
Indian Bundled Out for 179 Runs
India were in a spot of bother early in their innings as they lost three wickets in the powerplay. Captain Rohit Sharma departed for a duck in the first over while Shreyas Iyer (1 off 4 balls) followed suit next over.
Rishabh Pant (27 off 14 balls), who came in at No 3 did not last long as he spooned one to Stubbs at cover point off Lungi Ngidi’s over. Dinesh Karthik, however, kept India in the game with some brisk hitting and looked like the saviour India had hoped for.
After scoring an impressive 46 off just 21 balls, the veteran tried to be a little too creative, attempting a reverse scoop only to witness his stumps clattered by Keshav Maharaj.
Man-in-form Suryakumar Yadav (8 off 6 balls) was sent packing soon after as Stubbs produced a blinder of a catch at deep point off the over off all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious.
Axar Patel and Harshal Patel tried to offer some resistance, but the latter was dismissed by Ngidi after scoring 17 off 12 balls as India struggled at 109/6 after 11 overs.
There seemed to be no end to India’s miseries as Wayne Parnell returned into the attack to bag his second wicket after Axar (9 off 8 balls) edged one to wickede Kock.
Ravichandran Ashwin (2 off 4 balls) also failed to stay put as Maharaj got the better of the Indian spinner who stepped down the tracks to hit the ball straight into the hands of Rabada at long-on.
Meanwhile, Deepak Chahar (31 off 17 balls) stitched a ninth-wicket partnership of 48 runs -- India’s highest of the day with Umesh Yadav to save India some embarrassment, before returning to the pavillion.
Mohmmed Siraj (5 off 7 balls) was the last to depart as the Indian innings folded for 178 runs to offer South Africa a 49-run victory.
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