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    Thursday, February 12
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    IND vs SA: Fans react as South Africa pulls of a record chase in 2nd ODI at Raipur

    News DeskBy No Comments5 Mins Read
    IND vs SA: Fans react as South Africa pulls of a record chase in 2nd ODI at Raipur

    The second ODI in Raipur turned into a high-scoring thriller, but it was South Africa who walked away with one of their greatest away wins in ODI history. Chasing a stiff target of 359 vs India, the Proteas displayed remarkable composure under lights as dew made India’s task increasingly difficult. Aiden Markram led from the front with a superb century, while Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis provided the firepower needed to keep the chase alive. India, despite centuries from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, fell short with the ball and on the field. The visitors levelled the series 1–1 with four balls remaining. The stage is now set for a high-stakes decider in Visakhapatnam.

    Centuries for India from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad in Raipur

    India’s innings began in style with Rohit Sharma’s brisk cameo and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s steady hand, but the real fireworks came from Kohli and Gaikwad, who stitched a majestic 195-run partnership. Kohli’s 53rd ODI ton was vintage, built on strike rotation and late acceleration, while Gaikwad’s maiden ODI century showcased his all-format adaptability. India appeared poised for a 380+ total when KL Rahul walked in and blasted a 43-ball 66, but crucially, India slowed down in the final five overs, scoring far fewer than expected. That missing buffer proved costly once dew took over in Raipur.

    Aiden Markram’s authoritative hundred keeps South Africa in the hunt

    Markram produced one of the finest ODI knocks by a visiting opener in India, a 98-ball 110 filled with fluency, precision and remarkable control under pressure. He began cautiously after the early loss of Quinton de Kock, before smoothly shifting gears, finding gaps through cover and extra cover with memorable timing. His fifty came off 52 balls, and from there he increasingly targeted India’s inexperienced pace attack, especially Prasidh Krishna, whose lengths repeatedly fed Markram’s strengths. The South African batter used the sweep and slog-sweep effectively against Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, forcing India to alter their fields constantly.

    Even as Bavuma and later Breetzke rotated strike efficiently, Markram remained the axis of the chase, dictating the tempo and refusing to let the required rate climb. He struck 10 fours and four sixes, each of them clean and commanding, becoming the first African opener since 2010 to score an ODI hundred in India. His eventual dismissal, a miscued stroke off Harshit Rana’s slower ball, came just after crossing three figures, but by then he had irreversibly tilted the match in South Africa’s favour. The foundation he laid allowed Brevis and Breetzke to attack freely, ensuring that South Africa stayed comfortably ahead of the chasing curve even under high scoreboard pressure.

    Dewald Brevis and Matthew Breetzke firepower and India’s fielding woes hand South Africa a famous win

    The turning point arrived when the wet ball repeatedly slipped from Indian hands, forcing two ball changes and neutralizing swing and grip for spinners. Bavuma’s 46, Matthew Breetzke’s composed 68, and Dewald Brevis’s explosive 34-ball 54 added relentless momentum, with the pair adding 92 runs in just 69 balls. India’s fielding further deteriorated, misfields, wet-ball fumbles, and at least 25 extra runs aided SA’s chase.

    Although Prasidh and Rana picked key wickets, they leaked heavily at crucial phases. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers but received little support. Even late setbacks, injuries to de Zorzi and Nandre Burger, could not derail the Proteas as Corbin Bosch calmly finished the chase in the final over. India paid the price for a soft finish with the bat and an error-ridden display with the ball, setting up a high-stakes decider in Visakhapatnam on December 6.

    Here’s how fans reacted: 



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