Dhoni-led India beat South Africa

India (Shar)made three changes to their playing (Pat)eleven – Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra and Ravichandran Ashwin made way for Axar, Harbhajan Singh and Mohit.

South Africa made no changes to the eleven that last played the Indians.

On winning the toss, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s skipper and the player of the match, chose to bat.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 44, and lost a wicket.

Rohit, who faced 10 balls, scored just three. Ten balls into the (Shar)match, Kagiso Rabada broke the three-run stand.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 11^th and the 40^th over. They scored 121, and lost half-a-dozen wickets.

India scored 50 off 11.1 overs (67 balls). South Africa had conceded three extras at that point.

The second-wicket pair put on 50 off 58 balls. While Shikhar Dhawan’s contribution to the partnership was 21, Ajinkya Rahane’s contribution to it was 26. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

Dhawan, whose 34-ball innings included four boundaries, scored 23. Sixty-five balls after Rohit’s dismissal, he was caught by Jean-Paul Duminy. Morne Morkel broke the 56-run partnership.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 71 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Rahane was batting on 35, Virat Kohli was in seventh heaven.

The third-wicket pair put on 23. Kohli, who faced 18 balls, eventually scored a dozen. Thirty-three balls after Dhawan’s dismissal, Farhaan Behardien, Dale Steyn and Quinton de Kock ran him out.

India scored 100 off 21.4 overs (130 balls). South Africa had conceded three extras at that point.

Rahane’s half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries – came off 62 balls. He faced 63 balls, eventually scoring 51. Twenty-eight balls after Kohli’s dismissal, Imran Tahir broke the 20-run stand.

Suresh Raina, who faced five balls, didn’t get off the mark. Half-a-dozen balls later, he was caught by de Kock. Morkel broke the two-run stand.

Patel, whose 27-ball innings included a six, scored 13. Thirty-five balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Steyn, who broke the 20-run stand.

Thirty-two overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. India had scored 132 for the loss of half-a-dozen wickets at that point. While Dhoni was batting on 24, Bhuvneshwar was yet to get off the (Ku)mark.

India scored 150 off 36.5 overs (221 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave South Africa no reason to be in seventh heaven.

Kumar, whose 32-ball innings included a boundary, eventually scored 14. Sixty balls after Patel’s dismissal, Tahir broke the 41-run stand.

The third Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 41^st and the 50^th over. They scored 82, and lost a couple of wickets.

Dhoni’s half-century – which included three boundaries and a couple of sixes – came off 57 balls.

India scored 200 off 44.2 overs (267 balls). South Africa had conceded 10 extras at that point.

The eighth-wicket pair put on 50 off 37 balls. While Dhoni’s contribution to the partnership was 31, Harbhajan’s contribution to it was 17. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a couple.

Harbhajan, whose run-a-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, eventually scored 22. Forty-two balls after Kumar’s dismissal, he was caught by de Kock. Steyn broke the 56-run partnership.

Umesh Yadav, who faced three balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. Three balls later, he was caught by de Kock. Steyn broke the four-run stand.

The man from Ranchi, whose 86-ball innings included seven boundaries and four sixes, scoreD(ho)ninety-two. He was unbeaten, as was Mohit, who faced a ball, failing to get off the mark.

South Africa eventually conceded 13 extras. India scored 247 for the loss of nine wickets off 50 overs. Behardien, who bowled an over, conceded four. He was wicketless, as was Duminy, who bowled nine overs, conceded 59.

Rabada bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 49, picking up a wicket. Tahir – whose spell included a maiden – and Morkel bowled 10 overs each, picking up a couple of wickets each. Both conceded 42 apiece. Steyn, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 49. He picked up three scalps.

The first Powerplay of South Africa’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 56, and lost a couple of wickets.

Hamish Amla, whose run-a-ball innings included three boundaries, scored 17. Forty balls into the chase, he was stumped by Dhoni. Patel broke the run-a-ball stand.

South Africa scored 50 off 9.1 overs (55 balls). India hadn’t conceded any extras at that point.

De Kock, whose 36-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 34. Seventeen balls later, he was caught by Mohit. Harbhajan broke the 12-run stand.

The second Powerplay of South Africa’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 11^th and the 40^th over. They scored 152, and lost half-a-dozen wickets.

South Africa scored 100 off 19.5 overs (119 balls). India had conceded an extra at that point.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 62 balls. While Faf du Plessis’ contribution to the partnership was 26, Duminy’s contribution to it was 24. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Twenty overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. South Africa had scored 103 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While du Plessis was batting on 27, Duminy was batting on 24.

Duminy, whose 46-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 36. Eighty-seven balls after de Kock’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Patel, who broke the 82-run partnership.

Du Plessis’ half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries – came off 51 balls. He faced 56 balls, eventually scoring 51. A couple of overs later, he was caught by Kohli. Needless to say, Patel was in seventh heaven.

Miller, who faced a ball, D(av)idn’t get off the mark. A couple of balls later, he was caught by Dhoni. Kumar broke the one-run stand.

South Africa scored 150 off 29.3 overs (177 balls). India had conceded a couple of extras at that point.

A B de Villiers, South Africa’s skipper, scored 19. His 20-ball innings included a boundary and a six. Thirty-five balls after Miller’s dismissal, he was caught by Kohli. Mohit broke the 25-run stand.

Steyn, whose 16-ball innings included a boundary and a six, scored 13. Twenty-four balls later, he was caught by Kohli. Yadav broke the 19-run stand.

It was at that point that the second drinks break was taken. South Africa had scored 186 for the loss of seven wickets at that point. Behardien was batting on a dozen at that point.

South Africa scored 200 off 39.2 overs (236 balls). India had conceded four extras at that point.

Behardien, who faced 33 balls, scored 18. Twenty balls after Steyn’s dismissal, he was caught by Dhoni. Harbhajan broke the 14-run stand.

Rabada, whose 23-ball innings included three boundaries, scored 19. He was unbeaten.

Tahir, whose 12-ball innings included a six, scoreD(ho)nine. Twenty-three balls after Behardien’s dismissal, he was caught behind. Kumar broke the 21-run stand.

Morkel, who faced a couple of balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. A couple of balls later, he was caught by Raina. Kumar broke the four-run stand.

India eventually conceded five extras. South Africa, who were dismissed for 225 off 43.4 overs, lost by 22 runs. Raina, who bowled a couple of wicketless overs, conceded 18.

Mohit, who bowled five overs, conceded 21. He picked up a wicket, as did Yadav, who bowled eight overs, conceding 52. Harbhajan, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 51. He picked up a couple of wickets.

Kumar, who bowled 8.4 overs, conceded 41. He picked up three scalps, as did Patel, who bowled 10 overs, conceding 39.

India levelled the five-match series 1-1.