The first ODI between India and South Africa ended with an eight-wicket victory thanks in large part to Arshdeep Singh’s historic five-wicket haul. On a sunny morning in Johannesburg, the conditions favored the pace bowlers, as Arshdeep (10-0-37-5) and Avesh Khan (8-3-27-4) caused chaos and reduced South Africa to 116, their lowest score at the Wanderers Stadium.
India achieved the modest target in just 16.4 overs. After a quick partnership with Shreyas Iyer (52) debutant B Sai Sudharsan could not have asked for a more seamless start to his ODI career, gliding to an undefeated 55 off 43 balls under minimal pressure.
Aiden Markram, the captain of South Africa, decided to bat first because he thought it would get harder to bat on the used pitch later in the game. When he had to go off at 3/2 and hold off Arshdeep’s hat-trick ball in the second over, he must have realized how foolish he had been. After the game, he admitted that he made a mistake in the toss.
Mukesh Kumar gave Reeza Hendricks a close leg-before decision in the opening over, but in the next over, against Arshdeep, he drove lazily away from his body and inside-edged on to the stumps. Rassie van der Dussen was dismissed right away as the ball slipped past his flick and struck his pads for a leg. This was caused by a slight inswing.
De Zorzi appeared to assert himself against Arshdeep in the eighth over, as he hit a short ball that lofted over midwicket for six. Heinrich Klaasen, the most prolific white-ball batsman in South Africa, came on the crease, but Arshdeep’s opening spell of 7-0-23-4 meant that he could only muster six runs in nine balls.
Miller crushed any last hopes of a comeback with an airy drive to a very wide ball that caught his outside edge, bringing South Africa at 58/7.
In the 22nd over, Arshdeep was brought back by Rahul, with the left-armer needing just a wicket to complete his first fifer in ODI cricket. Arshdeep would grant his request on the first ball of his last over, trapping Andile Phehlukwayo plumb in front.
Arshdeep should feel more confident going forward in the 50-over format after this game-changing spell.
India was all too content with the chase even after Ruturaj Gaikwad was out early. India is on the verge of grabbing a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after Sai Sudharsan and Iyer combined for an 88-run partnership for the second wicket.
Scores at a glance: India 117/2 in 16.4 overs (Sai Sudharsan 55*, Shreyas Iyer 52) vs South Africa 116 in 27.3 overs (A Phehlukwayo 33; Arshdeep Singh 5/37, Avesh Khan 4/27). By eight wickets, India prevailed.
