India crush Proteas to square series

South Africa were first softened up by batsmen Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya and then by Indian paceman Avesh Khan who claimed 4/18, including three wickets in an over, as the visitors crumbled to 87 all out – their lowest T20I total – and a crushing 82-run defeat in the fourth ODI at Rajkot on Friday night.

India’s lopsided win levels the series 2-2 and takes the teams to a decider in Bangalore on Sunday. After losing the first two matches comfortably, India have come roaring back and now take huge momentum into the final match.

India bowled particularly well on an uneven pitch on what is normally a high-scoring ground that encouraged sharp lift on occasions leading to South Africa’s captain Temba Bavuma being forced to retire hurt and Marco Jansen being stunned after being hit on the side of the neck by a sharply rising delivery from Patel.

Keshav Maharaj, representing Bavuma after the game, said: “We never got going with the bat, there were no foundational partnerships and their bowlers were good. DK (Dinesh Karthik) played really well. We expect the decider to be a cracker in Bengaluru.”

Player of the match Karthik said: “It just feels good. South Africa bowled brilliantly up front, our openers could not get going. When I went in, Hardik told me to bide my time. To execute things well is great. To go and be a local boy in Bengaluru, despite not representing RCB, is a thrill. The series is on the line which is great. Rahul Dravid has focused on what batters and bowlers need to do and not the results, the dressing room is secure and feels fuzzy which is good. That clarity and the encouraging environment has helped.”

Aside from the pacemen, the Indian spinners managed to get considerable turn as well as bounce with wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal claiming 2/21 and left-arm spinner Axar Patel 1/19. The other wicket fell to paceman Harshal Patel with 1/3 in two overs.

For the Proteas, Bavuma’s retirement with an injured left elbow was a key moment, as was Quinton de Kock’s run-out after he and Dwaine Pretorius had a misunderstanding over whether to take a quick single.

AVESH MAGIC

After that, and with David Miller having his off-stump ripped out by Harshal Patel, only Rassie van der Dussen reached 20 as the South African innings went into a tailspin. Bavuma did not come out to bat again after being forced to retire.

Earlier, Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya belted 65 runs in just 33 balls for the fifth wicket to lead India to a challenging 169 for six.

It was a disappointing end to the innings for the Proteas who until then had controlled matters with India struggling to 96 for four off 15 overs. But the home team then turned on the turbo-chargers to crush a further 73 runs off the final five overs.

Karthik, who made his T20 debut in 2006, struck his maiden T20 half-century. His 55 came in 27 balls and included nine fours and two sixes. His blazing assault included a number of sweeps offspinners and pace bowlers. Pandya, who enjoyed an excellent IPL, struck 46 in 31 balls including three fours and three sixes struck over the midwicket area.

BLAZING KARTHIK

Up until their partnership India never looked likely to reach that total. Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, in the team for the injured Kagiso Rabada and Wayne Parnell, both began well and claimed early wickets (Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer respectively) as India stumbled to 40, their lowest powerplay total of the series.

The in-form Ishan Kishan played some fine strokes but when he fell victim to Anrich Nortje’s first delivery, India were in trouble on 40 for three.

Skipper Rishabh Pant got a start but once again fell to a wide delivery outside his off-stump, top-edging Keshav Maharaj to backward point.

The scene was now set for Karthik and Pandya’s assault on the Proteas’ bowlers who lost their discipline as the two batsmen played an assortment of sweeps, cuts and drives to electrify the 28 000-strong crowd who for most of the innings had been conspicuously silent.

INDIA: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan

SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma (capt), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje