Team India restricted South Africa to 116 runs in the first ODI on Sunday. South African batsmen succumbed to the sharp bowling of Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan.
For the team, tail batsman Andile Phehlukwayo played the highest innings of 33 runs. Before that, opener Tony DeJorji scored 28 runs. Three batsmen were out for zero. Arshdeep Singh took five wickets in his name.
At one time South Africa’s score was 6 wickets for 52. South Africa suffered two consecutive setbacks in the 11th over itself. Arshdeep took five wickets for 37 runs in his 10 over spell. He gave five runs as a wide.
Mukesh Kumar did not get much success today. Mukesh gave 46 runs in his seven overs. Avesh Khan gave 27 runs in eight overs with three maidens. He took four wickets in his name. Kuldeep got the last wicket in the third over.
In the absence of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, South African batsmen looked uncomfortable against the young Indian fast bowlers. The trio of Arshdeep, Avesh and Mukesh Kumar troubled the South African batsmen a lot.
The Indian bowlers ensured that most of the South African batsmen did not get a chance to come out of the crease or go on the backfoot. During this, both Arshdeep and Avesh had a chance to take hat-trick wickets but they missed it.
Arshdeep took four wickets in the powerplay after dismissing Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen without opening the account on consecutive balls in the second over of the innings. This also includes the wickets of aggressive batsman Tony De Jorji (28) and Heinrich Klaasen (06).
Avesh, who came on the bowling attack after the powerplay, bowled the incoming ball to captain Aiden Markram (12) on his first ball and then with his fast pace he dodged the experienced David Miller (02).
Viaan Mulder (0) and Keshav Maharaj (04) also had trouble adjusting to the pace of the charge. Eighth order batsman Phehlukwayo played an inning of 33 runs and took the team’s score beyond 100 runs. He became the fifth victim of Arshdeep Singh after hitting three fours and two sixes in his 49-ball innings.
To win this match, Indian batsmen will now have to score 117 runs in 50 overs. All eyes will be on debuting left-handed batsman Sai Sudarshan.