Brilliant Kohli hits 52nd ODI century as India beat SA

RANCHI, India (AP):

Batting great Virat Kohli smashed his 52nd ODI century and India went on to beat South Africa by 17 runs in their series opener yesterday.

Kohli’s 135 off 120 balls (seven sixes and 11 fours) powered India to 349-8 in 50 overs after the home team lost its 19th consecutive toss and South Africa opted to field first.

South Africa made an impressive recovery after losing three early wickets as Matthew Breetzke (72), Marco Jansen (70) and Corbin Bosch (67) struck aggressive half-centuries before the Proteas were bowled out for 332 in 49.2 overs.

SOUTH AFRICA COMEBACK

South Africa stumbled to 11-3 inside the powerplay before recovering. Fast bowler Harshit Rana (3-65) dismissed Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock for ducks in the second over of the innings and Arshdeep Singh (2-64) found the outside edge from captain Aiden Markram.

But South Africa batted aggressively with Tony de Zorzi (39) and Dewald Brevis (37) scoring better than a run-a-ball to keep their team in the hunt.

Jansen came in to bat in the 22nd and the bowlers found it difficult to hit the right lengths with the wet ball because of dew.

Jansen smashed eight fours and three sixes in his 39-ball knock as he raised his half-century off 26 balls, with Breetzke taking a backseat in a whirlwind stand of 97 runs. But wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4-68) claimed both wickets when the batters went for big shots in the 34th over as South Africa slipped to 228-7.

Bosch’s 51-ball knock took the game deep in the company of tailenders and hit five fours and four sixes. He had reduced the target to 18 off the final over before he got caught in the covers as the last man out.

KOHLI IN CHARGE

Kohli demonstrated his ODI dominance, along with another Indian white-ball stalwart, Rohit Sharma (57).

The pair, who retired from T20s and Test cricket, shared a 136-run, second-wicket stand after Nandre Burger had Yashasvi Jaiswal (18) caught behind in the fourth over.

Kohli and Sharma thrilled the 38,000 crowd in Ranchi as they took on the four pacers and spin of Prenelan Subrayen (0-73).

Sharma, who was dropped on one by de Zorzi at deep backward square leg, overtook Shahid Afridi’s record of 351 sixes in ODIs when he hooked Jansen over long leg. Sharma hit five fours and three sixes in his 51-ball innings before he was finally trapped leg before wicket by Jansen.