Aiden Markram's Century Leads South Africa to Historic ODI Victory Over India
Markram's Stellar Performance Secures Win
In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, South Africa's opener Aiden Markram delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a remarkable century to guide his team in chasing down a daunting target of 359 runs against India during the second ODI of their three-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Wednesday.
Markram's innings of 110 runs off 98 balls, featuring 10 boundaries and four sixes, was pivotal in achieving a four-wicket victory. This win marks South Africa's 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 achievement, South Africa has now successfully chased down targets of 350 or more runs three times, tying with India for the most such instances in ODI history.
After being named Player of the Match, Markram expressed the team's desire to maintain a positive approach to their game, emphasizing the importance of putting pressure on opposing bowlers. He acknowledged the contributions of his teammates, stating that they are beginning to step up.
Markram reflected on the need to navigate the initial overs carefully, recalling how the middle order performed in the first match. He felt a sense of responsibility for the team's previous shortcomings and noted that if he had scored in the 70s, the outcome might have been different. He mentioned that the conditions under lights provided more pace and swing, allowing him to settle in and build momentum.
He also highlighted the significance of partnerships, particularly with Temba Bavuma, stating that they felt secure during their innings. Markram praised his teammates for their composure during high-pressure moments, which ultimately led to their success.
Discussing the depth of their batting lineup, Markram noted that having eight capable batters, including Keshav Maharaj, gives the team the freedom to play aggressively. He acknowledged the middle order's recent performances and stressed the importance of setting a solid foundation for them to thrive.
India batted first after being put in by South Africa, struggling early at 62/2 with the dismissals of Rohit Sharma (14) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (22). However, Virat Kohli (102 off 93 balls) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (105 off 83 balls) formed a formidable partnership, adding 195 runs for the third wicket and putting India in a strong position.
KL Rahul (66* off 43 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (24* off 27 balls) then added a brisk 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket, finishing the innings on a high note.
Marco Jansen was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 2 wickets for 63 runs.
In their chase, South Africa lost Quinton de Kock early but quickly recovered with a 101-run partnership between Bavuma (46 off 48 balls) and Markram. Markram's century was his fourth in ODIs and his first as an opener.
A crucial 92-run partnership between Matthew Breetzke (68 off 64 balls) and Dewald Brevis (54 off 34 balls) shifted the momentum in favor of South Africa.
Despite injuries to Nandre Burger and Tony de Zorzi, Keshav Maharaj (10*) and Corbin Bosch (25*) guided South Africa to a memorable victory with four wickets remaining and four balls to spare.
For India, Arshdeep Singh was the leading bowler with 2 wickets for 54 runs, while Harshit Rana's figures suffered after a poor over. Prasidh Krishna's disappointing performance, conceding 82 runs in 8.2 overs, was a significant factor in South Africa's triumph.
An exciting decider is set for Saturday.