RANCHI – Shreyas Iyer hit a century and Ishan Kishan made 93 to power India to a seven-wicket win over South Africa in the second one-day international on Sunday and keep the series alive.
Chasing 279 for victory, the hosts depended on a 161-run third-wicket partnership between the left-handed Kishan and Iyer, unbeaten on 113, to achieve their target with 25 balls to spare in Ranchi.
The bowlers led by Mohammed Siraj set up victory after they choked the opposition runs in the final overs and kept South Africa down to 278-7 despite a 129-run stand between Reeza Hendricks (74) and Aiden Markram (79).
The three-match series remains level at 1-1 with the decider on Tuesday in New Delhi.
India lost their openers including skipper Shikhar Dhawan for 13 after getting starts but Kishan and Iyer stood firm to revive the chase and take the attack to the opposition.
"I must say that Ishan and Shreyas, the way they created that partnership was great to watch," said Dhawan.
"The ball was coming on nicely but it was keeping low. So our plan was to take on the bowlers in the first ten overs. But once the dew came into the picture, it was skidding on."
Kishan took on Anrich Nortje in one over to smash the pace bowler for a four and two sixes, but missed out on a maiden international hundred when he fell to Bjorn Fortuin.
Iyer, who reached his second ODI ton with a boundary, kept up the attack despite struggling with cramps midway through the innings and stood unbeaten with Sanju Samson, who made 30, to steer the team home.
Iyer and Samson put on an unbroken stand of 73 for a team whose big guns, including regular captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, were missing after their Twenty20 side left for the World Cup in Australia.
'PITCH GOT BETTER'
"I think we didn't expect the dew to play such a big part, that's why we opted to bat after we won the toss," South Africa's stand-in-skipper Keshav Maharaj said.
"But credit to Shreyas and Sanju. We expected it to get slower and lower but after 20 overs the pitch got better."
Earlier Siraj returned figures of 3-38 from his pace bowling as South Africa, without unwell captain Temba Bavuma, managed just 57 runs in the final 10 overs.
The Proteas were 204-3 after 37 overs and looked likely to get more than 300 but the tables turned after Hendricks got out and then Heinrich Klaasen (30) and Markram fell in the space of three deliveries.
Siraj, who struck first with the wicket of Quinton de Kock, had Hendricks caught by debutant Shahbaz Ahmed to break the big stand.
David Miller hit an unbeaten 35 off 34 balls but failed to provide an attacking finish to the innings as Siraj gave away just three runs in the 50th over and claimed the wicket of Maharaj.
The loss puts South Africa in danger of missing out on direct entry into next year's 50-over World Cup in India.
They languish 11th in the Super League table. Only the top eight teams (seven and hosts India) earn direct qualification to the 2023 tournament.
Artmotion S.Africa
