Markram ton trumps Kohli, Gaikwad centuries for nervy win

Aiden Markram (BCCI)

Virat Kohli eased to his second successive century and Ruturaj Gaikwad hit his first in ODIs as India piled up 358 for 5, in front of 60,000 spectators, in Raipur. That total, however, didn’t turn out to be a dew-proof one, with South Africa sneaking to the target to silence the packed crowd and set up a decider in Visakhapatnam.
Aiden Markram, who led South Africa’s chase with his first hundred in an ODI chase, Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis upstaged Kohli and Gaikwad, with some help from dewy conditions.
It was the joint-highest successful chase against India in ODIs and South Africa’s third-highest overall in the format. When Brevis holed out for 54 off 34 balls, after raising his maiden ODI fifty, South Africa were still ahead, needing 70 off 57 balls with six wickets in hand.
The visitors then suddenly fell behind when they lost Breetzke and Marco Jansen in successive overs. By the time Jansen holed out to long-off, South Africa required 37 off 33 balls with four wickets in hand. Tony de Zorzi hobbling off the field with a potential hamstring injury after 45 overs added another twist to the chase. He joined Nandre Burger, who had hurt his own hamstring and left the field earlier in the first innings, on the sidelines.
It boiled down to South Africa needing 27 off 30 balls. Corbin Bosch’s attacking enterprise and Keshav Maharaj’s calmness got the job done for them, leaving India wondering what might have been.
India had to contend with multiple mishaps in the field, including Yashasvi Jaiwal dropping Markram on 53. Jaiswal got into an awkward side-on position, let the ball slip through his hands and tip over the rope for six. Markram then cranked up the tempo, launching Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja for sixes. He proceeded to bring up his hundred off 88 balls. On a day where three centuries were scored, Markram’s proved to be the match-winning one.
India were up against it even before the first ball was bowled. Their wretched luck at the toss continued – they lost their 20th straight toss in ODI cricket – and Rahul made his displeasure known by throwing his head back.
After they were asked to bat first, India moved to 40 for 0 in the fifth over, with 13 of those runs coming via wides. Burger and Lungi Ngidi, who had replaced Ottniel Baartman, found swing with the new ball, but struggled to control it. Burger, though, tightened up to have Rohit Sharma nicking behind for 14 off eight balls. Then, in the tenth over, Jansen bounced Jaiswal out for 22. Jansen then greeted Gaikwad with a nastier head-high lifter. Gaikwad took his eyes off the ball, threw his hands up in defence, and managed to glove it over the keeper for four. (ESPNcricinfo)