Kohli smashed 138 off 140 balls to record his first century in 13 ODI innings, lifting India to 299-8. PHOTO COURTESY: BCCI
South African skipper AB de Villiers scored an equally impressive century, smashing 112 off 107 balls after starting slowly, but was unable to guide his side over the line.
The Proteas, chasing a difficult 300-run target, went off to a bright start but then faded away after losing three quick wickets to go from 67-1 to 88-4. De Villiers keenly felt the absence of the injured JP Duminy as he was forced to try and do it all on his own with the tail. The lack of support received by de Villiers was further highlighted by the fact that no other visiting batsman scored even a half-century, with Quinton de Kock (43) being the one to even cross 25.
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But the Chennai crowd had their hearts in their mouths until Bhuvneshwar Kumar finally dismissed de Villiers, caught behind by MS Dhoni off a bouncer, to end the match as a contest.
Earlier in the day, Kohli smashed 138 off 140 balls to lift India to 299-8. Kohli struck six boundaries and five sixes in his 23rd ODI hundred after India won the toss and elected to bat.
It was Kohli’s first century in 13 ODI innings since scoring a match-winning 107 against Pakistan in the World Cup at Adelaide in February.
Left-hander Suresh Raina also overcame his poor run of 3, 0, 0 in the previous three matches to score 53 off 52 balls and share a fourth-wicket stand of 127 with Kohli.
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South Africa claimed five wickets for 33 runs to restrict the scoring at the end after India were cruising at 266-3 in the 45th over, with fast-bowlers Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada picked up three wickets each.
The match was officiated by Indian umpires at both ends after the International Cricket Council withdrew Aleem Dar of Pakistan for the last two games in Chennai and in Mumbai on Sunday due to security concerns.
The right-wing Shiv Sena party, known for its anti-Pakistan stand, had threatened to stop Dar from umpiring in the Mumbai match.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2015.
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