Kohli Hits Century as India Take 1-0 Lead in Three-Match Series
Key Points:
- India defeat South Africa by 17 runs in first ODI
- Kohli scores century; Rahul and Rohit contribute solid fifties
- Kuldeep takes four wickets as South Africa fall short at 332
RANCHI – India secured a 17-run victory over South Africa in the opening ODI in Ranchi, gaining a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
South Africa opted to bowl after winning the toss. However, Indian batters delivered a strong performance. Virat Kohli produced a brilliant century. His knock marked his 52nd ODI hundred. Moreover, he moved past Sachin Tendulkar in the tally.
Captain KL Rahul added 60 runs. Rohit Sharma contributed 57. India posted a total of 349 in the allotted 50 overs. The batting effort set a challenging target.
South Africa struggled early in the chase. The team lost three wickets for only 11 runs. However, Matthew Breetzke and Marco Jansen attempted to rebuild the innings. Both fell in the same over.
Corbin Bosch played aggressively later. His quick fifty kept the match alive. However, the team finished at 332. They fell short by 17 runs.
Kuldeep Yadav claimed four wickets. Harshit Rana took three. Arshdeep Singh bagged two. South Africa’s bowlers also contributed. Marco Jansen, Nandre Burger, Corbin Bosch and Ottniel Baartman took two wickets each.
India now lead the series. The next match offers them a chance to seal the contest. The teams had arrived in Ranchi earlier, as noted in a recent report. Cricket enthusiasm has remained high in the city, highlighted earlier.
Crowds have responded strongly in Ranchi during major fixtures. A related match-day atmosphere was described recently. Ticket demand for major games was noted earlier. Security preparations for high-profile fixtures were outlined in another report.
