Indian spinners stunned the visiting South African side with their spin magic as Kuldeep Yadav ended up with four wickets, restricting the Proteas only for 99 in just 27.1 overs in the third and final ODI at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi on Tuesday (October 11).
The Indian spin trio of Washington Sundar (2/15), Shahbaz Ahmed (2/32) and Yadav (4/18) bowled at the right lengths on a slow Kotla pitch and did massive damage to the South African batting line-up.
Apart from the spinners, pacer Mohammad Siraj (2/17) also continued his good form. While Sundar and Ahmed did their job in sending back the top order, Yadav took the charge to clean-up the tail. However, the leading wicket-taker missed out on his hattrick.
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Earlier in the day, India won the toss and asked South Africa to bat first. But, their batters failed to impress. Quinton de Kock (6 off 10) was India’s first wicket as he decided to cut the ball but it got the top-edge and landed to Avesh Khan at backward point, giving Sundar his first wicket.
India then got all charged up as Siraj trapped in Reeza Hendricks (3 off 21) for a leg before but the South African took the review to turn the umpire’s decision in the seventh over. Janneman Malan (15) then smacked Siraj for three boundaries before the pacer sent hm back to the pavilion while trying for a pull shot.
Though Hendricks saved his wicket with a review but this time Siraj did no mistake as Ravi Bishnoi (substitute) took a good catch. After Siraj’s heroics, Shahbaz Ahmed also got pumped up as he uprooted Aiden Makram of just nine runs. In 17.1 overs, the Proteas somehow managed to reach 50 but the match had shifted to the Indian side by then.
Skipper David Miller then came to structure some good score with Heinrich Klaasen but he too couldn’t make a mark as he was bowled at just 7 off 8 when the ball slid in from round the wicket to clip the outside of off stump.
In the 20th over, Yadav cleaned up Andile Phehlukwayo as the latter failed to read his googly.Klaasen however, showcased some strength on the pitch as he became the visitor’s leading run-scorer with 34 off 42. However, he was sent back by Shahbaz.Further, Yadav came to the picture, clearing the lower order with wickes of Marco Jansen, Imaad Fortuin and Anrich Nortje.
(With PTI Inputs)
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