At the JSCA International Stadium on Sunday, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan combined for an outstanding 113 not out, giving India a decisive seven-wicket victory over South Africa.
Iyer and Kishan shared a game-winning partnership of 161 off 155 balls for the third wicket as a late Indian comeback on a slow, low ground limited South Africa to posting 278/7 in 50 overs despite Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks striking 79 and 74, respectively.
The pair overcame all obstacles in their path to tie the three-match series at one game each while South Africa was hindered by dew and their inability to control the scoring rate.
India lost openers Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill in the first ten overs of their difficult 279-run chase. While Gill failed to hold the loft down and offered Kagiso Rabada the opportunity to take a brilliant catch off his own bowling, Dhawan had his off-stump uprooted by Wayne Parnell for the second time in as many games.
Iyer was the first to attack, hammering Parnell for four before taking two fours from Anrich Nortje with a brilliant cover drive and a cut through third man. After pulling Keshav Maharaj over deep mid-wicket for six, Kishan took the initiative and danced twice down the field to hit a pair of sixes in the same area.
Iyer resumed his assault by dismissing left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin and part-timer Aiden Markram for two fours each. The pair's havoc over South Africa's bowlers accelerated after they both hit fifty on consecutive deliveries in the 26th over and brought up their century stand.
While Kishan was demonstrating his hitting skills by delivering crunching pulls and heaves through the leg side off Fortuin, Rabada, and Nortje, Iyer was enjoying himself by picking boundaries against Parnell and Rabada. He smashed four fours and seven sixes in 84 balls during his incredible run before pulling to deep mid-wicket off Fortuin, falling seven short of his first century at home.
Iyer was striking his boundaries with good timing despite suffering from cramps; one of them was smacked over extra cover for four off Rabada to give him his second century in the format. Iyer completed the chase with a four directed between short third man and backward point, remaining unbeaten at 113 off 111 balls and supported by 15 fours. By finishing the game unbeaten on 30 and advancing the series to a final in New Delhi on Tuesday, Sanju Samson provided him with strong support.
Mohammed Siraj had earlier restricted South Africa to a score that was significantly lower than what the visitors had hoped for with 3-38 from his 10 overs. India effectively controlled the first and final ten overs, while South Africa struggled in the power-play and death overs—aside from a run-a-ball 129-run stand for the third wicket between Markram and Hendricks.
Quinton de Kock pulled a full and wide delivery to his stumps, giving Siraj a quick victory. After hitting some beautiful boundaries, Janneman Malan was bowled by debutant Shahbaz Ahmed after being caught lbw.
In a ten-run 16th over, Hendricks and Markram took a four each from Siraj through the leg-side after taking some time to settle in. In order to get three fours in as many overs, Markram, who survived a lbw shout from Kuldeep, scooped and brought out the drive twice.
While Washington Sundar was lofted over mid-off by Hendricks, Shardul Thakur was whipped through mid-wicket for a pair of fours. Hendricks reached his fourth ODI fifty after Kuldeep Yadav's brilliant inside-out drive over extra cover.
Markram, on the other hand, gained self-assurance by regularly driving through the gaps to complete his half-century as well. Prior to Siraj's dismissal of Hendricks on a length ball that he drew straight to deep square leg, the pair had been hitting fluent boundaries, rotating the strike, and making good use of their feet.
While Heinrich Klaasen teed off with a four off Washington through backward square leg, Markram continued to find boundaries with his impeccable timing. Then, using the identical hit against Avesh Khan, he took another four runs off Shahbaz for a six over midwicket. In order to hit Kuldeep over long-off, Klaasen danced down the pitch before holing out and sprinting long-on off the left-arm wristspinner.
Markram clipped a low delivery from Washington in the following over straight to extra cover. The left-hander then lapped and hit Washington and Kuldeep to pick two fours, keeping David Miller and Parnell quiet as India began to rally.
Parnell was obliged to go for the big shots since India's boundaries were running out, but he holed out to long-off. Miller hit back-to-back fours, lofting over the bowler's head and heaving past square leg, to snap the 41-run boundary drought. India just gave up 57 runs in the final 10 overs as Siraj uprooted Maharaj's off-stump.
Brief scores: South Africa 278/7 in 50 overs (Aiden Markram 79, Reeza Hendricks 74; Mohammed Siraj 3-38, Shardul Thakur 1-36) lost to India 282/3 in 45.5 overs (Shreyas Iyer 113 not out, Ishan Kishan 93; Wayne Parnell 1-44, Bjorn Fortuin 1-52) by seven wickets