South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first in the final match of the ODI series at the Wankhede. With the result of the long 5-match series on the line, the visitors gave a blistering charge in the first innings of the match, bringing up the highest score of the series, 437/4. India need to score 438 in the second innings, a mammoth task.
Mohit Sharma went for three fours in his second over, but got an edge off Hashim Amla’s bat to travel to the keeper – compounding what has been a horrible series for him.
Quinton de Kock carried on his penchant for coming good against Indian bowlers, hitting 17 fours in his 87-ball 109 – his 5th hundred in 9 ODIs against India. This was his 2nd century of the series. He marked the milestone by coming up with a Kohli-esque celebration.
With De Kock and Faf du Plessis upping the ante, Suresh Raina was introduced into the attack and he got the wicket of De Kock. South Africa lost their second wicket, but they had Du Plessis and AB de Villiers looking explosive with the score at 187 in the 27th over.
Du Plessis was hitting boundaries at will, but got bogged down by cramps. There was a peculiar sight seen around the 40-over mark, when he was hitting every ball over the boundary ropes, but was collapsing on the ground with cramps immediately after.
MS Dhoni, his CSK teammate had to help him out with stretching exercises after a particularly bad bout of cramps made Faf throw his bat and leap in pain after hitting a shot. Du Plessis had to leave the field retired hurt on 133.
De Villiers came in to bat with his team poised for a big total, and he did not disappoint. He massacred the Indian bowlers, hitting 11 sixes in his 61-ball 119. When he went out in the 47th over, he had taken the score within touching distance of 400.
The rest of the team succeeded in sending enough balls out of the park to bring up a huge total, falling just short of the highest ever ODI total – 443.
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