Top 3 batting performances in the ODI series between South Africa and India
While many had anticipated a motivated Men in Blue side in the ODIs, especially after their subpar showing in the Test series, the 3-0 thrashing by South Africa came as a bit of a surprise.
Having performed exceedingly well during the last white-ball series in the Rainbow Nation, India were expected to repeat their heroics again. However, the Temba Bavuma-led side showed great character and outperformed the visitors in almost every aspect.
After defending 296 runs in the opening clash, South Africa took an unassailable 2-0 lead at Paarl. The hosts capped off the three-match series by winning the dead-rubber by four runs at Cape Town. Despite the series ending in such a one-sided manner, numerous batters provided fans with moments of pure delight.
On that note, let's take a look at three noteworthy battering performances from the recent ODI series between South Africa and India.
Honorable mentions:
Deepak Chahar's 54 off 34 balls in 3rd ODI
Temba Bavuma's 110 off 143 balls in 1st ODI
#3. Quinton de Kock's 124 off 130 in the third ODI
In a dead-rubber at Newlands in Cape Town, KL Rahul won the toss and invited the hosts to bat first. Quinton de Kock and Janneman Malan opened for the hosts. The latter was dismissed in the third over of the innings and India continued to make inroads as they took two more wickets inside the next ten overs.
De Kock, however, unbothered with what was happening at the other end, kept playing his free-flowing strokes. The left-hander scored a magnificent 124 runs off 130 deliveries. His knock was laced with 12 boundaries and two astounding maximums.
Quinton de Kock on his cemtury and South Africa's ODI series victory against India.
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The southpaw tackled the initial swing comfortably and manifested his clean strokeplay during the mandatory powerplay. He was also untroubled against the spinners and fancied sweeps and reverse sweeps to keep them at bay. De Kock's partnership of 144 runs with Rassie van der Dussen helped South Africa to put up 287 runs on the board.
Due to his impressive knock, the keeper-batter was adjudged the Man of the Match and also the Man of the Series. He accumulated as many as 229 runs at a healthy average of 76.33 in the three-match rubber.
#2. Rishabh Pant's 85 off 71 in the second ODI
India may have lost a crucial second ODI tie in Paarl but one player who stood out and gave his best was none other than Rishabh Pant.
The beginning was chaotic and the finish was frenetic. However, in between, Rishabh Pant smashed 85 runs off 71 balls, demonstrating his true prowess. Coming in to bat at No. 4 when the side had just lost two key players in Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, Pant played an excellent knock, slamming 10 fours and two sixes.
During his stay at the crease, the left-hander demolished the slower bowlers, starting by slog-sweeping Keshav Maharaj for a six over long-on. He then clubbed Tabraiz Shamsi for three boundaries inside four balls and the runs kept flowing.
Another one for South Africa! 👀
Rishabh Pant hits one straight to long on to depart for 85!
India are 183/4.
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Pant commanded the in-game battles against the Proteas. He added a century stand with skipper KL Rahul en route to his fourth fifty in the ODI format. It seemed like Pant would reach his maiden ODI century but he holed out to Aiden Markram while attempting a lofted hit.
Due to a subpar bowling performance from the visitors and some splendid batting by the hosts' batters, India eventually lost the game by seven wickets. However, the counter-attacking innings from Rishabh Pant was one to remember.
#1. Rassie van der Dussen's 129* off 96 balls in the first ODI
In his short one-day career of 27 innings, Rassie van der Dussen has played some crucial innings for his side. However, perhaps one of the most special ones came in the first ODI against India at Boland Park, Paarl.
Coming in when the hosts were 68-3, van der Dussen counterpunched the Indian bowlers and began scoring at a brisk rate. The 31-year-old mustered 129 runs in just 96 deliveries, clubbing nine boundaries and four maximums on a slow surface.
🏻
A quick fire ton for Rassie van der Dussen! 👏🏻
The partnership is nearing a double hundred and South Africa are looking at a tall total.
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He built up a match-winning partnership with skipper Temba Bavuma, who also smashed his second ODI ton. While Bavuma was the anchor, van der Dussen took on the task of playing aggressively. The duo added 204 runs for the fourth wicket and spurred the team's total to 296 from a rather worrying situation.
Van der Dussen started his innings with a resounding reverse sweep to Yuzvendra Chahal. He then took on the Indian bowlers and thrashed them all over the park. Van der Dussen finished the innings on a high, whacking Shardul Thakur for a six and a four as 17 came off the last over.
In the process of scoring a ton, van der Dussen notched up the second-highest ODI score by a batter at No. 5 or lower against India in ODIs.