INDORE, OCT 14: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hammered 92 not out and skilfully marshalled his bowlers to secure a series-levelling 22-run win against South Africa in the second one-day international at the Holkar Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday
Electing to bat, Dhoni bailed India out of trouble with his defiant 92 not out to take the team to 247 for nine. His bowlers then ended the visiting side’s innings at 225 to record their first win on South Africa’s current tour.
Regaining his Midas touch, Dhoni played a captain’s knock and then made smart bowling changes to bundle out the Proteas in 43.4 overs.
Axar Patel (3/39) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/41) shared six wickets between them, while Harbhajan Singh (2/51) scalped two in his comeback match.
Walking in to bat with India in a spot of bother at 82/3 in the 18th over, Dhoni batted right till the end to notch up his 60th ODI fifty. The Indian skipper smashed seven boundaries and four sixes during his 86-ball innings.
India were looking down the barrel at 165 for seven in the 40th over, but Dhoni found great support from Harbhajan Singh (22), with whom he added 56 runs.
Ajinkya Rahane yet again batted well, scoring a 63-ball 51 for his second consecutive half century.
For South Africa, Dale Steyn (3/49) picked up three wickets, while Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir scalped two apiece.
South Africa started their chase on a quick note, stitching a run-a-ball 40-run partnership for the opening wicket between Hashim Amla (17) and Quinton de Kock (34).
With both his frontline pacer proving ineffective, Dhoni introduced spin from both ends in the sixth over. The move yielded instant result when Axar had Amla stumped after the batsman danced down the wicket.
De Kock was going great guns with five boundaries when he fell for one too many, caught by Mohit Sharma at long-off off Harbhajan, leaving the Proteas at 52 for two inside the 10th over.
The fall of two quick wickets hardly bothered Faf du Plessis (51) and JP Duminy (36) as the duo batted with ease to keep the asking rate in control.
But, the South Africans then lost wickets at regular intervals and their innings folded up for 225 in 43.4 overs.
