Rain and Klaasen's assault lead South Africa to victory
IMAGES from the 4th ODI between South Africa and India at the Wanderers, in Johannesburg, on Saturday.
India's aura of invincibility in recent times took a hit as South Africa pulled off a spectacular chase to emerge winners by five wickets in the rain-curtailed fourth One-day international in Johannesburg on Saturday night and stay alive in the series.
The stunning turnaround under the Duckworth/Lewis method meant South Africa maintained their unbeaten record in pink and make it 3-1 in the six-match series.
Heinrich Klaasen smashed 43 not out off 27 balls (5 fours, 1 six) and led the Proteas' assault on the Indian spinners after rain intervened twice to reduce the game to a 28-over contest.
Lightning and light rain had first intervened during the Indian innings, and it came again early during the South African innings. 113 minutes were lost and South Africa received a 202-run target from 28 overs.
Until then, chasing 290 originally, Hashim Amla (33) and Aiden Markram (22) had given an attacking start. Markram was out lbw in the eighth over in what turned out to be the last ball before rain came. The hosts were placed at 43/1 at that stage.
After the rain delay, the Proteas needed 159 more off 124 overs, effectively turning this into a T20 game. It didn't help that Bhuvneshwar Kumar (0-27) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-21) had already bowled four overs each by then.
Amla was joined by JP Duminy (10), but they could only manage to add 24 runs for the second wicket. AB de Villiers (26 off 18 balls) arrived at the crease as the roof came down at the Wanderers and made his intentions clear as he smacked Yuzvendra Chahal (1-68) for two sixes over midwicket.
He looked good for many more, but shockingly holed out out at fine leg off Hardik Pandya (1-37) in the 17th over as the game turned on its head. At the other end, Amla was caught by Bhuvneshwar off Kuldeep Yadav, the fielder taking an acrobatic catch at the boundary rope.
Suddenly South Africa were reduced to 102/4 with the wrist spinners in action. Then came the turning point of the game as Chahal bowled David Miller, only for the ball to be deemed a no ball.
Earlier, in his 100th match, Shikhar Dhawan (109) scored a 13th hundred as India posted 289/7.
Dhawan put on 158 runs with skipper Virat Kohli (75).
It was the eighth century partnership for the 2nd wicket between these two batsmen, the most in ODIs Indian cricket, drawing level with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid who also have eight.
The visitors made one change, bringing in Shreyas Iyer for Kedar Jadhav. South Africa made two changes, bringing in Morne Morkel for Imran Tahir.
AB de Villiers, who averages 112.50 in five Pink ODIs, also replaced Khaya Zondo in the Proteas' eleven.
The Wanderers was expectedly bathed in pink for a good cause of creating awareness and raising funds for breast cancer.
India were 200 for 2 in 34.2 overs as Dhawan found in a good ally in skipper Virat Kohli, who made a strokeful 75 before being dismissed by Chris Morris, caught in the covers by David Miller.
Rohit Sharma, once again disappointed with the bat, scoring just 5.
He was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada. Rohit got an inside edge, played the ball right back to the bowler, who bent, got his fingers under the ball and completed a good catch on his follow through to get the first breakthrough.
