5 memorable ODIs wins by Team India against Proteas in South Africa
Having squandered yet another opportunity to win a Test series in South Africa, Team India will now shift their focus to the ODIs. The three-match ODI series will begin with the first game at Boland Park in Paarl on January 19. India will be led by KL Rahul in Rohit Sharma’s absence, while Jasprit Bumrah has been named vice-captain for the series.
Team India have played a total of 34 ODIs in South Africa, winning 10 and losing 22. The other two games produced no results. The Indians, however, had a memorable ODI series in the Rainbow Nation during their previous visit in 2017-18. The Virat Kohli-led outfit won the six-match series by a 5-1 margin.
If we look at the overall ODI record between the two teams, India and South Africa have faced each other 84 times, with the former winning 35 games and the Proteas 46. Three of the ODIs produced no results.
Team India’s impressive ODI triumphs in South Africa
In the build-up to the limited overs leg of the tour, we recap five of India’s most memorable one-day wins against the Proteas in South Africa.
#5 Centurion (1992)
WV Raman scored a famous hundred as India defeated South Africa by four wickets in the third ODI of a seven-match series in Centurion in December 1992. India were set 215 to win the match and opener Raman guided the chase, scoring a defiant 114 off 148 balls. It was a class knock, coming against a bowling attack comprising Allan Donald, Fanie de Villiers, Craig Matthews and Brian McMillan.
Raman and Ajay Jadeja (20) featured in a 56-run opening stand. India lost the former in the 47th over after which Ravi Shastri (27* off 16) took India home with five balls to spare. For India, Anil Kumble starred with 2 for 29 while there were a couple of run outs as well. Andrew Hudson hit 87 for South Africa, but the knock went in vain.
#4 Durban (2018)
Kohli led from the front with a sublime 112 as India won the opening ODI of a six-match series in South Africa in February 2018 in Durban. The visitors were set to chase a challenging 270 to take a 1-0 lead. India lost Rohit for 20 and Shikhar Dhawan for 35. However, Kohli was in prime form and slapped 10 fours en route to his 119-ball 112. The captain and Ajinkya Rahane (79) featured in a magnificent 189-run stand for the third wicket as India eased home by six wickets in 45.3 overs.
Virat kohli in 2018 southafrican tour
153 at centurian
112 at durban
160 at capetown
129 at centurian
@viratkohli is one of the greatest batsman in the history of world cricket #kingkohli https://t.co/LgbVjig5Bo
For South Africa, skipper Fad du Plessis also led from the front, smacking a wonderful 120 off 112 balls. Chris Morris (37) and Andile Phehlukwayo (27*) made useful contributions towards the end. However, Kuldeep Yadav’s 3 for 34 ensured that the Proteas were restricted to 269 for 8. Kohli and Rahane did the rest.