Ranchi: India held their nerve to secure a tense 17-run victory over South Africa in the opening ODI at Ranchi on Sunday, taking a 1-0 lead in the series after a late scare from the visitors’ lower-order batters. Virat Kohli led the scoring with his 52nd century in the format, supported by half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, as the hosts posted 349 for eight.
Asked to bat first, India adopted an aggressive approach from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal struck boundaries early before falling to Nandre Burger, but Rohit and Kohli steadied the innings, finding the fence frequently during a dominant powerplay. The pair added a rapid hundred-run stand, with Rohit surpassing the record for most sixes in ODI cricket along the way.
The momentum dipped briefly in the middle overs as wickets fell, but Rahul’s calm presence at the crease helped Kohli rebuild. After moving into the nineties with style, Kohli reached his milestone and immediately accelerated, hitting multiple boundaries in quick succession before eventually holing out. Rahul carried on the late surge, lifting India close to 350 despite disciplined death overs from Corbin Bosch.
Chasing 350, South Africa made the worst possible start. Harshit Rana struck twice in his first over and Arshdeep Singh added a third soon after, leaving the tourists reeling at 11 for three. Matthew Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi counterattacked, but Kuldeep Yadav removed de Zorzi just as signs of recovery appeared.
Dewald Brevis and Breetzke then sparked fresh hope with brisk hitting, though Brevis’ attempt to dominate Rana resulted in a miscue and his dismissal. With half the side gone by the 22nd over, India looked in firm control—until Marco Jansen arrived with a flurry of boundaries. The tall all-rounder smashed a rapid fifty that put pressure back on the home side.
Kuldeep’s double strike in one over, including the key wickets of Breetzke and Jansen, shifted the contest again. But South Africa refused to fold. Bosch kept the chase alive with smart strike rotation and clean hitting. Even as wickets tumbled around him, he reached his maiden ODI fifty and pushed the match into the final over with 18 needed from six balls.
With just one wicket left, Bosch went for another big hit but miscued, handing India the win as South Africa were bowled out for 332 in 49.2 overs. Kuldeep claimed four wickets, while Rana finished with three—both crucial in a game that swung wildly throughout.
The two teams now move forward with the hosts ahead, but South Africa’s fightback ensures that the rest of the series promises high-intensity cricket.
