Aiden Markram's Century Leads South Africa to Historic ODI Victory Over India

In a gripping second ODI, Aiden Markram's century propelled South Africa to chase down a formidable target of 359 runs against India, marking a historic achievement in ODI cricket. With contributions from key players, South Africa secured a four-wicket victory, tying the record for the highest successful chase against India. Markram's insights on the team's strategy and India's strong batting performance set the stage for an exciting decider in the series. Read on to discover the highlights of this thrilling match.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 4, 2025, 00:36 IST

Markram's Stellar Performance

In a thrilling second ODI match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, South Africa's opener Aiden Markram delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a remarkable century to help his team chase down a daunting target of 359 runs against India. Markram's innings of 110 runs off 98 balls, featuring 10 fours and four sixes, was pivotal in securing a four-wicket victory for South Africa. This achievement marks the joint-highest successful chase against India in ODIs, equaling Australia's record set in Mohali in 2019, where Ashton Turner scored 84 runs off just 43 balls. With this win, South Africa has now achieved three successful chases of 350 runs or more, tying with India for the most in ODI history.

Markram Discusses Team Strategy

Following his Player of the Match accolade, Markram emphasized the team's commitment to a positive style of cricket that keeps the opposition bowlers under constant pressure. He acknowledged the importance of contributions from all players, stating, "You have to navigate through the initial phase. In the first match, our middle order performed well, and I felt responsible for not finishing the job. If I had scored in the 70s, the result might have been different. Tonight, the pitch offered more pace and swing, so our strategy was to settle in, find our rhythm, and accelerate from there. I can't recall the exact over, but during the innings, Bavuma and I felt confident and solid, which is when I tend to play my shots. If one of us gets out, we can rebuild with the next batter. I’m proud of the team for overcoming the pressure at the end and securing the win. Having a long batting lineup certainly helps."

India's Strong Start

India batted first after being put in by South Africa, facing early setbacks at 62/2 with the dismissals of Rohit Sharma (14) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (22). However, Virat Kohli (102 runs off 93 balls, including seven fours and two sixes) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (105 runs off 83 balls, with 12 fours and two sixes) formed a formidable partnership, adding 195 runs for the third wicket and putting India in a commanding position. KL Rahul (66* off 43 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (24* off 27 balls, with two fours) then contributed to a quick 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket, solidifying India's total. Marco Jansen was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 2 wickets for 63 runs.

South Africa's Chase and Victory

The Proteas began their chase aggressively, although they lost Quinton de Kock early on. Captain Temba Bavuma (46 runs off 48 balls, with three fours and a six) partnered with Markram for a crucial 101-run stand. Markram's century was his fourth in ODIs and his first as an opener. A significant partnership of 92 runs between Matthew Breetzke (68 runs off 64 balls, with five fours) and Dewald Brevis (54 runs off 34 balls, including a four and five sixes) shifted the momentum in favor of South Africa. Despite injuries to Nandre Burger and Tony de Zorzi easing India's challenge, Keshav Maharaj (10*) and Corbin Bosch (25*) guided South Africa to a memorable victory with four wickets remaining and four balls to spare. Arshdeep Singh was India's top bowler with 2 wickets for 54 runs, while Prasidh Krishna's disappointing figures of 82 runs in 8.2 overs proved costly. The series now heads to an exciting decider on Saturday.