Durban: Captain Faf du Plessis (120, 112b, 11×4, 2×6) led from the front with an impressive century as he single-handedly took South Africa to 269 for eight in the first ODI against India here Thursday.
India’s leg-spin twins Kuldeep Yadav (3/34) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/45) shared five wickets among them in an impressive bowling show but Du Plessis ensured that the Proteas have a competitive total on board after opting to bat.
Du Plessis scored his eighth ODI hundred after a half-empty Kingsmead Stadium bore witness to South Africa’s top-order collapse. The hosts lost four wickets for 51 runs before Du Plessis and Chris Morris (37) rescued them with a 74-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Earlier, the Proteas openers Hashim Amla (16) and Quinton de Kock (34) got off to a watchful start adding 30 runs before Jasprit Bumrah (1/56) dismissing the former. The latter, in particular, took his time as he had been enduring a poor run of form.
Just before this, India had a major injury scare when Virat Kohli hurt his knee while fielding. He struggled with his right leg for a while thereafter, and even went off to the Indian dugout to get attention from the physiotherapist as the knee niggle continued to bother him.
Meanwhile, Du Plessis put on 53 runs with De Kock for the second wicket. Chahal broke the stand trapping De Kock lbw in the 15th over. Had he opted for the referral, he would have survived. Du Plessis, alternately, would have been given out lbw on 18 if India had opted for DRS at the end of the 13th over.
The spinners took quick wickets thereafter and did not allow South Africa’s partnerships to settle even as 100 came up in the 21st over.
South Africa were reduced to 134/5. However, Du Plessis and Morris helped the hosts cross 200-run mark. The Proteas skipper added 74 runs with Morris before making a 56-run seventh wicket stand with Andile Phehlukwayo (26 n o).
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