Harshit Rana has been spitting fire with the ball in Ranchi against South Africa in the first ODI. His fiery bowling has lit up the stadium almost as much as Virat Kohli’s record-breaking hundred. India had piled up 349/8 after Rohit Sharma’s brisk fifty and Kohli’s 135 off 120 balls, a knock studded with 11 fours and seven sixes that took him to a staggering 52 ODI centuries, the most by any batter in a single international format.
South Africa’s chase of 350 began in a haze of swing and blue shirts. With the new ball, Rana ripped out Ryan Rickelton with his first delivery, a good-length ball that crashed into the middle stump, before drawing Quinton de Kock into a loose drive for a thick edge to KL Rahul two balls later. At 7/2 and then 11/3 after Arshdeep Singh removed Aiden Markram, India’s quicks had turned a daunting target into a full-blown crisis.
Harshit Rana sends off Dewald Brevis
Dewald Brevis and Matthew Breetzke briefly changed the mood. The pair counterattacked, adding 53 off 40 deliveries for the fifth wicket as Brevis unfurled no-look shots and three towering sixes in a 28-ball 37 that gave South Africa a foothold.
Then Rana returned. Cranking it up around 139 kph, he pushed a fuller ball wide of off stump. Brevis went for the big lofted hit over point, lost his shape, and only managed to sky it to Ruturaj Gaikwad on the rope. As the catch was completed and Ranchi roared, Rana turned towards Brevis, yelling and wagging his finger in an unmistakable “off you go” gesture before being swarmed by teammates.
{{/usCountry}}Then Rana returned. Cranking it up around 139 kph, he pushed a fuller ball wide of off stump. Brevis went for the big lofted hit over point, lost his shape, and only managed to sky it to Ruturaj Gaikwad on the rope. As the catch was completed and Ranchi roared, Rana turned towards Brevis, yelling and wagging his finger in an unmistakable “off you go” gesture before being swarmed by teammates.
{{/usCountry}}The dismissal left South Africa 130/5 and Rana sitting on figures of 3 for 35 from six overs, having already destroyed the top order and now cut off the fightback.
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This is familiar territory for Rana. His “flying-kiss” send-off to Mayank Agarwal in IPL 2024 cost him 60% of his match fee and eventually a one-match suspension, and he has since been fined again for aggressive celebration in a DPL game.
In Ranchi, though, the fast bowler’s fire has so far matched his figures. On a night built around Kohli’s history-making century, Harhsit Rana’s snarling send-off to Dewald Brevis may be the frame that lives longest on social media - and possibly earns another quiet word from the match referee.