Dhawan hits ton, Kohli makes merry
Opener’s 13th century, Virat’s super form puts India on top in rainhit Pink ODI before SA fight back
JOHANNESBURG: For the first time in the series, South African fans out-screamed Indian supporters, raising such a din after every wicket and boundary it was hard to believe the home team is going through hard times in these encounters.
The Pink Day ODI holds a special place in South African cricket. Held to empathise with breast-cancer patients, it is a game the hosts, who play in pink, had never lost.
Proteas managed to put up some fight by first restricting the rampaging Indians to below 300 – 289/7 -- and then getting off to a decent start before stoppages for lightning and rain reduced the target to 202 off 28 overs.
The man-of-the-moment AB de Villiers lit up the stadium chanting his name, but just as he was looking to take the game away from India, Hardik Pandya had him caught. At the time of going to print, the Proteas were 129/4 in 20 overs. They needed 73 runs off 48 balls.
With the series in control, the point of interest was always whether the Indian middle order would utilise the start provided by the top order. It couldn’t, failing again, and only MS Dhoni’s sedate batting towards the end saw them to their eventual score.
India began well with Virat Kohli (75 off 83 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (109 off 105 balls) continuing from where they had left in the third ODI at Cape Town. Their 158-run partnership ensured a solid start after Rohit Sharma fell early again.
Dhawan threw his wicket when he looked good for a century at Cape Town, but this time he ensured he didn’t make that mistake as he got to his 13th ODI century, third against South Africa.
The Wanderers wicket had bounce, which the hosts wanted, but Kohli and Dhawan were untroubled. They collected singles and got boundaries whenever the bowlers erred.
There were some close calls as the ball went past the bat in Lungi Ngidi’s initial overs. Barring that Kohli and Dhawan were in control. Kohli produced the shot of the day -- a straight loft into the stands and then staying frozen in the follow through to add to its effect.
Dhawan was sublime and edgy in turns. An example was he was closing in on his century. He was beaten by a Kagiso Rabada beauty but flicked the next one to midwicket for six to get to 98. In the next over, a straight drive got him to his century.
However, Dhawan fell soon after players returned to the field following a break caused by thunder and lightning. Kohli was out on the other side of the break.
The middle order failed to get going again -Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya, caught off a blinder by Aiden Markram at cover all falling cheaply.