Pathan powers India to a thrilling win vs South Africa

Chasing 221 for win,Pathan teamed up with Suresh Raina (37 off 47) to bring India back in contention with less than a run-a-ball 75-run sixth wicket stand after the visitors were reeling at 93 for five at one stage.

After Pathan’s dismissal in the 40th over,Harbhajan Singh (23 not out) took the onus on him to give India home and with little help from Zaheer Khan (14) and Ashish Nehra (6 not out) surpassed South Africa’s score with 10 balls to spare to give the visitors a 2-1 lead in the series.

More Morkel (3/28) was unplayable throughout the innings while Dale Steyn (2/31) produced the fire upfront for South Africa.

Earlier,JP Duminy (52) and debutant Faf du Plessis (60) scored risk-free half centuries before Indian bowlers made a remarkable comeback in the final batting powerplay to bowl out South Africa for 220.

Electing to bat,Graeme Smith made a patient 43 off 79 balls before Duminy and du Plessis steadied South Africa’s ship with a 110-run fifth wicket stand that came off 125 balls after they were precariously placed at 90 for four.

But the highlight of the South African innings was India’s disciplined bowling attack and catching in the field.

Credit should go to the Indian new ball pair of Zaheer (3/43) and Munaf Patel (2/42),who made life difficult for the South African batsmen from the word go.

Off-spinner Harbhajan (2/23) was not to be left behind as he controlled the proceedings in the middle overs beforeZaheer and Munaf returned at the death to bowl out South Africa in 49.2 overs.

The final batting powerplay backfired for South Africa as they lost as many as four wickets for just 25 runs.

To add to skipper Smith’s woes,South African batters could manage only 48 runs in the last 10 overs losing as many as six wickets.

Murali Vijay’s (1) poor form at the top of the order continued as he fell in the second over of the innings to start India’s chase on a disappointing note.

Vijay was brilliantly caught by an athletic Dale Steyn of his own bowling after the right-hander was done in a by a delivery that stopped a bit on him on a slow Newslands track.

But Virat Kohli (28) started from where he left in the previous match and made his intentions clear with three classy boundaries after arriving at the crease.

The pair of Rohit Sharma (23) and Kohli played cautiously without taking any undue risks but when bad balls came their way,they dispatched them to the boundaries with consummate ease.