Kuldeep claims four as India rout SA, clinch ODI series

India pacers and spinners cashed in on a helpful pitch and shaky batting to dismiss South Africa for 99 before the hosts completed a seven-wicket win, claiming the series 2-1.

Incessant rain over the weekend and steady drizzle on Tuesday morning had raised serious doubt whether the third ODI between India and South Africa will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. With more rain forecast for Tuesday evening, a rain-shortened game seemed par for the course.

Indian players Sanju Samson and Shreyas Iyer being greeted by South African players after winning the 3rd and final ODI cricket match of the series (PTI)

As it turned out, it never came to that because of the weather. It was a shortened game because of an inept batting display by South Africa. They were bundled out for 99 in 27.1 overs, their lowest ODI total against India, as well as the lowest by any team at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground. India cantered home in 19.1 overs with seven wickets in hand, a six by Shreyas Iyer (28* off 23 balls) over long-off sealing a 2-1 series victory. Opener Shubman Gill made use of the time in the middle to hit a fluent 49.

While Mohammed Siraj dismissed top-order batters Janneman Malan and Reeza Hendricks within the first 10 overs, most of the damage was done by the Indian spinners. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav took four wickets and off-spinner Washington Sundar and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed claimed two apiece. Having shown good rhythm through the series, Kuldeep was rewarded with some easy lower-order wickets.

With the entire square under covers in the lead-up to the game, India—they were unchanged from the second ODI—capitalised on the assistance from the pitch after electing to bowl. A hint of seam movement for the pacers and appreciable turn for the spinners were instantly on view as skipper Shikhar Dhawan opened the bowling with Washington and Siraj.

Washington didn’t take long to dismiss Quinton de Kock. He began the third over by sharply turning one past the outside edge of the opening batter. Off the fifth ball of that over, he tossed it up again but slightly wide of the left-hander’s reach. De Kock decided to go after the ball on seeing the width. The extra bounce though resulted in a top edge to Avesh Khan at short third man.

Siraj’s breakthroughs came via well-directed short balls. Opener Malan’s downfall in the eighth over was the result of him picking out Avesh at deep square leg with his pull shot while Hendricks found the fielder at short fine-leg in Siraj’s next over.

At 26/3 after 10 overs, South Africa needed two batters to absorb pressure and stitch together a decent partnership. None managed though as India kept striking at frequent intervals.

Shahbaz isn’t a big spinner of the ball, but he too extracted sharp turn from the surface. His willingness to bowl slower in the air drew Aiden Markram out of the crease and found his outside edge. Even if Markram hadn’t got the faint nick, he would have been stumped by Sanju Samson.

With David Miller—he was captaining South Africa for the first time in an ODI—coming in at No 6, Washington was back into the attack to counter the South African left-hander, who was unbeaten on 75 and 35 in the first two games. And Washington delivered again, breaching Miller’s defence with a ball that carried on with the angle from around the wicket.

Heinrich Klaasen (34 off 42 balls) was the only batter to show resistance for the visitors until he was too late on a cut shot and bowled off a quicker delivery by Shahbaz.

South Africa’s dire position allowed Kuldeep to come in and befuddle the lower-order with his repertoire of wrong ’uns and wrist-spin. The 27-year-old was on a hat-trick at one stage after dismissing Bjorn Fortuin and Anrich Nortje. Lungi Ngidi survived the hat-trick ball but Marco Jansen promptly offered Kuldeep his fourth wicket with a miscued sweep to Avesh at deep backward square leg.

South Africa’s series loss dents their already slim chance of automatic qualification for the ODI World Cup in India next year. They currently languish at 11th in the 13-team table where only the top eight advance directly.