Sports

Kuldeep shines as India crush Proteas to clinch ODI series

By AFP

October 12, 2022

NEW DELHI: Spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s 4-18 shone during a superb Indian bowling attack that clinched their one-day series against South Africa with a crushing seven-wicket win on Tuesday.

The hosts skittled South Africa for 99 in 27.1 overs in the third-match decider, after electing to bowl on a pitch dampened by days of rain in New Delhi.

Shubman Gill made 49 as India chased down their target in 19.1 overs, winning the series 2-1 with a second-string side after Rohit Sharma and team departed for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.

Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner, came into the attack with South Africa five down and wiped off the tail, striking twice on successive balls before ending the innings with the wicket of Marco Jansen.

Once a regular in the Twenty20 side, Kuldeep was not picked for the World Cup starting October 16, but the 27-year-old said he was “not disappointed”.

“I am not disappointed at all. I am concentrating on my process and looking to get better with every match,” the man of the match told reporters.

“The players who have been selected are the best and my best wishes are with them.”

Spinner Washington Sundar, who bowled the first over and returned with two wickets, helped set up the second straight win for the hosts.

Sundar was handed the new ball and the lanky off-spinner struck in his second over to send back Quinton de Kock, caught at short third man for six.

Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj rattled the top order with the wickets of Janneman Malan, for 15, and Reeza Hendricks, for three, to put South Africa on the back foot.

The Proteas slipped further to 43-4 after Aiden Markram’s departure as the batsman fell caught behind off left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed for nine.

Heinrich Klaasen, who top-scored with 34, attempted to rebuild with David Miller, who was making his captaincy debut with regular skipper Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj both unwell.

But Sundar bowled the left-handed Miller for seven and the rest of the batting quickly caved in.

Shahbaz, who made his ODI debut in the previous match, bowled Klaasen before – in between the change of batsmen – a dog walked on the field, providing some light relief to the crowd.

It was South Africa’s fourth-lowest total in 50-over matches, after their 69 all out in Sydney and then twice being bowled out for 83.

Score Board

India won the toss

South Africa Innings

Malan c Avesh b Siraj 15

Quinton † c Avesh b Washington 6

Reeza c Ravi b Siraj 3

Aiden c †Samson b Shahbaz 9

Heinrich b Shahbaz 34

David (c) b Washington 7

Andile b Kuldeep 5

Marco c Avesh b Kuldeep 14

Bjorn lbw b Kuldeep 1

Anrich b Kuldeep 0

Lungi not out 0

Extras:(lb 1, w 4) 5

Total:27.1 Ov (RR: 3.64) 99

Fall: 1-7, 2.5 ov, 2-25, 7.5 ov, 3-26, 9.6 ov, 4-43, 15.3 ov, 5-66, 18.5 ov, 6-71, 19.4 ov, 7-93, 24.3 ov, 8-94, 25.3 ov, 9-94, 25.4 ov, 10-99, 27.1 ov

Bowling: Washington Sundar 4-0-15-2, M Siraj 5-0-17-2, Avesh Khan 5-1-8-0, S Ahmed 7-0-32-2, S Thakur 2 0-8-0, Kuldeep Yadav 4.1-1-18-4

India Innings

Shikhar (c) run out (Jansen/†Kock) 8

Shubman lbw b Ngidi 49

Ishan c† Kock b Fortuin 10

Shreyas not out 28

Sanju Samson † not out 2

Extras: (b 1, lb 5, nb 1, w 1) 8

Total: 19.1 Ov (RR: 5.47) 105/3

Fall: 1-42, 2-58, 3-97

Bowling: Marco Jansen 5.1-0-43-0, Lungi Ngidi 5-0-21-1, Anrich Nortje 5-1-15-0, Bjorn Fortuin 4-1-20-1

Match result: India won by 7 wickets