India wizards have hapless Proteas in a spin

India’s spin bowlers took eight wickets between them to send SA spiralling to an embarrassing seven-wicket defeat in the third and decisive ODI in New Delhi on Tuesday.

After the Proteas were shot out for a dismal 99, their lowest ODI total against India, the home team romped to victory in 27.1 overs, losing only three wickets along the way.

Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the Indian spinners, taking four wickets to clean up the visitors’ tail, while Shahbaz Ahmed (2/32) and Washington Sundar (2/15) worked their way through the top and middle order along with seamer Mohammed Siraj, who claimed two of his own.

Left-arm wrist spinner Yadav ended with figures of 4/18 to consign SA to what was also their fourth-lowest total since 1993 to wrap up the series 2-1.

In pursuit of the modest target, Shubman Gill was the aggressor, as India raced to 42 inside seven overs, before captain Shikhar Dhawan (8) was run out after some swift work in the field by Marco Jansen returning the ball to Quinton de Kock.

Ishan Kishan was dismissed by Bjorn Fortuin, the leftarm orthodox spinner finding an edge which was taken by De Kock with India two wickets down for 58 runs. 

Gill struck eight boundaries on his way to 49, but he was trapped lbw by Lungi Ngidi, having shared 39 runs with Shreyas Iyer for the third wicket. Iyer (28) smashed a six off the first ball of the 20th over by Jansen as he and Sanju Samson (2) ended not out to take their side home. 

De Kock (6) fell early, caught by Avesh Khan off Sundar, with just seven runs on the board before Janneman Malan (15) and Reeza Hendricks (3) fell within two Siraj overs of each other as SA stumbled to 26/3  in 10 overs.

Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram (9) then added 17 before Markram was caught behind by Sanju Samson as Shahbaz Ahmed struck.

Captain David Miller (7) became Sundar’s second victim when he was bowled, having shared 23 with Klaasen. The visitors found themselves in all sorts of trouble on 67/5 at the end of the 19th over. They lost their next five wickets for just 32 runs in 43 balls.

All rounder Andile Phehlukwayo added just five before being bowled by Kuldeep Yadav, before Klaasen, who hit four boundaries on his way to 34, had his stumps disturbed as Shahbaz claimed a second. 

Yadav trapped Fortuin lbw for one before bowling Anrich Nortjé for a duck one ball later to leave SA reeling on 94/9 in the 26th over. SA offered little resistance even as Jansen, who hit a four and a six in his 14 before he was caught on the boundary by Avesh Khan to close out the Proteas innings.