Dhoni’s back; SA beat India

India made eight changes to their playing (Pat)eleven – Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Manoj Tiwary, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Harbhajan Singh, Axar and Mohit (Shar)made way for Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (who was leading the team), Suresh Raina, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav.

South Africa made five changes to the (Mork)eleven that last played the Indians – Henry Davids, Ryan McLaren, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander and Lonwabo Tsotsobe made way for Faf du Plessis, Farhaan Behardien, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Morne.

On winning the toss, A B de Villiers, South Africa’s skipper and the player of the match, chose to bat.

The first Powerplay of South Africa’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 48, and lost a wicket.

Quinton de Kock, whose 33-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 29. Fifty-two balls into the match, he was caught by Suresh Raina. Ravichandran Ashwin broke the 45-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 146, and lost a couple of wickets.

South Africa scored 50 off 11.3 overs (69 balls). India had conceded a couple of extras at that point.

Seventeen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. South Africa had scored 82 for the loss of a wicket at that point. While Hashim Amla was batting on 29, du Plessis was batting on 22.

The second-wicket pair put on 50 off 68 balls. While Amla’s contribution to the partnership was 19, du Plessis’ contribution to it was 29. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a couple.

South Africa scored 100 off 21.3 overs (129 balls). India had conceded five extras at that point.

Amla, whose 59-ball innings included three boundaries, scored 37. Eighty-eight balls after de Kock’s dismissal, Mishra broke the 59-run partnership.

Du Plessis’ half-century – which included five boundaries and a six – came off 59 balls.

South Africa scored 150 off 32.5 overs (197 balls). India had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point.

Du Plessis, whose 77-ball innings included five boundaries and a six, eventually scored 62. Fifty-nine balls after Amla’s dismissal, he was trapped leg before wicket by Yadav, who broke the 48-run stand.

Thirty-six overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. South Africa had scored 167 for the loss of three wickets at that point. While de Villiers was batting on 28, David Miller was batting on five.

The third Powerplay of South Africa’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 41^st and the 50^th over. They scored 109, and lost a couple of wickets.

Miller, who faced 22 balls, scored 13. Forty-four balls later, he was stumped by Dhoni. Mishra broke the 45-run stand.

South Africa scored 200 off 41 overs (246 balls). India had conceded eight extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

De Villiers’ half-century – which included a couple of sixes – came off 54 balls.

Jean-Paul Duminy, whose 17-ball innings included a six, scored 15. Twenty-eight balls after Miller’s dismissal, he was caught by Dhoni. Yadav broke the 41-run stand.

South Africa scored 250 off 47 overs (282 balls).

The sixth-wicket pair put on 50 off 68 balls. While de Villiers’ contribution to the partnership was 24, Behardien’s contribution to it was 28. Extras didn’t contribute to the partnership.

De Villiers’ ton – which included five sixes and half-a-dozen sixes – came off 73 balls. He eventually scored 104, and was unbeaten, as was Behardien, who eventually conceded 35 off 19 balls, which included a couple of boundaries and a six.

South Africa scored 303 for the loss of five wickets off 50 overs.

Kohli, who bowled two wicketless balls, conceded a run. Raina, who bowled seven wicketless overs, conceded 37. Stuart Binny, who bowled eight wicketless overs, conceded 63. Kumar, who bowled 10 wicketless overs, conceded 67.

Ashwin, who bowled 4.4 overs, conceded 14. He picked up a wicket. Yadav and Mishra bowled 10 overs apiece, picking up two scalps apiece. While the former conceded 71, the latter conceded 47.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 59, and lost a wicket.

Dhawan, whose 28-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 23. Forty-five balls into the chase, he was trapped leg before wicket by Morkel, who broke the 42-run stand.

India scored 50 off 9.2 overs (56 balls). South Africa had conceded three extras at that point.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 11^th and the 40^th over. They scored 155, and lost a couple of wickets.

The second-wicket pair put on 50 off 48 balls. While Sharma’s contribution to the partnership was 27, Ajinkya Rahane’s contribution to it was 16. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was seven.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 94 for the loss of a wicket at that point. While Sharma was batting on 45, Rahane was batting on 17.

India scored 100 off 17.2 overs (104 balls). South Africa had conceded nine extras at that point.

Sharma’s half-century – which included eight boundaries and a six – came off 48 balls.

The second-wicket pair put on 100 off 116 balls. While Sharma’s contribution to the partnership was 52, Rahane’s contribution to it was 43. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was eight.

India scored 150 off 28 overs (168 balls). South Africa had conceded 11 extras at that point.

Rahane’s half-century – which included four boundaries – came off 67 balls.

Thirty-two overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 186 for the loss of a wicket at that point. While Sharma was batting on 94, Rahane was batting on 58.

Rahane, whose 82-ball innings included five boundaries, eventually scored 60. A hundred and thirty-seven balls later, he was caught by Miller. Behardien broke the 149-run partnership.

Sharma’s ton – which included 11 boundaries and three sixes – came off 98 balls.

India scored 200 off 35.5 overs (215 balls). South Africa had conceded a dozen extras at that point.

Kohli, who faced 18 balls, scored 11. Thirty-eight balls later, he was caught by Morkel. Steyn broke the 23-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 84, and lost four wickets.

India scored 250 off 44.1 overs (265 balls). South Africa had conceded 16 extras at that point.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 32 balls. While Sharma’s contribution to the partnership was 40, Dhoni’s contribution to it was eight. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was four.

Sharma’s 150 – which included 13 boundaries and half-a-dozen sixes – came off 132 balls. He eventually faced 133 balls, failing to add to the aforementioned score. Thirty-seven balls later, he was caught by Imran Tahir, who broke the 55-run partnership.

Raina, who faced three balls, scored as many. Four balls later, he was caught by Duminy. Tahir broke the run-a-ball stand.

Dhoni, whose 30-ball innings included a boundary, eventually scored 31. Seventeen balls later, he was caught by Rabada, who broke the 24-run stand.

The seventh-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Binny, who faced five balls, scored just a couple. The next ball, he was caught by Amla off the bowling of Rabada.

Kumar, who faced a ball, scored a run. He was unbeaten, as was Mishra, who didn’t face a ball.

South Africa eventually conceded 17 extras. India, who scored 298 for the loss of seven wickets off 50 overs, lost by five runs. Duminy bowled four wicketless overs, conceding 36.

Behardien bowled half-a-dozen overs, conceding 38. He picked up a wicket, as did Steyn and Morkel, who bowled 10 overs apiece. While the former conceded 54, the latter conceded 51. Rabada and Tahir bowled 10 overs each, picking up two scalps apiece. While the former conceded 58, the latter conceded 57.  

South Africa led the five-match series 1-0.