Opener Rohit Sharma scored a composed unbeaten century as India got their Cricket World Cup campaign off to a solid start with a six wicket victory over a sloppy South African side at a vibrant Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, South Africa posted a below-par 227 for nine in their 50 overs as wily wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal returned figures of 4-51 following a superb opening burst from seamer Jasprit Bumrah (2-35).
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. India were cautious in their reply and the game was in the balance when Virat Kohli (18) was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock with the score on 54 for two in the 16th over.
But Rohit (122 not out from 144 balls) punished the South African bowlers after being dropped on one.
He attacked South Africa’s leg-spinners Imran Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi as India reached 230 for four from 47.3 overs, condemning the ailing Proteas to a third successive loss to leave their World Cup hopes in disarray.
SA manage 227 against India as Chahal bags four
Wily Indian wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took four wickets as one of the pre-tournament favourites got their Cricket World Cup campaign off to a confident start by restricting South Africa to 227 for nine at a vibrant Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis won the toss in bright sunshine and elected to bat first. However, the clouds closed in and seamer Jasprit Bumrah (2-35) found prodigious movement in both directions to remove openers Hashim Amla (6) and Quinton de Kock (10) inside the first six overs.
Du Plessis (38) and Rassie van der Dussen (22) put on a patient 54 in 80 balls in a bid to rebuild the innings, but when the latter was bowled trying a reverse-sweep off Chahal (4-51), two more wickets fell in quick succession.
Chahal then bowled Du Plessis and left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav trapped JP Duminy (2) leg before wicket as India's slow bowlers squeezed the run-rate and bamboozled the batsmen.
David Miller (31) and Andile Phehlukwayo (34) got starts but could not pass 50, while Chris Morris (42) and Kagiso Rabada (31 not out) put on 66 for the eighth wicket to ensure the side posted a score that gives them a chance.
The innings mirrored South Africa's World Cup campaign to date as their batsmen struggled to find form or fluency on wickets that were good for striking. They have lost their opening two matches to England and Bangladesh, while India are playing their first game.
End of over 20, SA- 80/4
Chahal dismissed Van der Dussen before scalping the wicket of skipper Faf du Plessis in the 20 th over to see South Africa reeling on 80 for four after 20 overs.
End of over 18, SA- 75/2
The right-arm quick Jasprit Bumrah scalped two early wickets to see South Africa struggling on two for 24 inside six overs. The two openers -- Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock -- were dismissed for cheap scores before skipper Faf du Plessis and Rassie van der Dussen started the repair work for the Proteas.
Rassie van der Dussen 20 (32b)
Faf du Plessis 37 (50b)
Yuzvendra Chahal 1-0-4-0
Hardik Pandya 4-0-19-0
South Africa opt to bat first against India
South Africa have won the toss and elected to bat first against India at the Rose Bowl in Southampton today. This is India's first game in the World Cup.
After missing the game against Bangladesh on June 2 due to a head injury that he sustained in the World Cup opener against hosts England, Hashim Amla gets back in the Proteas' side today.
South Africa who have lost both their previous games in this World Cup -- a 104-run thumping defeat against the hosts England followed by a 21-run defeat against Bangladesh -- would surely like to get their first win in the mega event. Meanwhile, India will also be looking to kick off their 2019 World Cup campaign with a win.
Playing XIs:
India: RG Sharma, S Dhawan, V Kohli (c), KL Rahul, KM Jadhav, MS Dhoni †, HH Pandya, B Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, YS Chahal, JJ Bumrah
South Africa: HM Amla, Q de Kock †, F du Plessis (c), HE van der Dussen, DA Miller, JP Duminy, AL Phehlukwayo, CH Morris, K Rabada, Imran Tahir, T Shamsi
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