India v/s South Africa 2nd ODI Match Commentary: India romp to stunning 22-run win

FOUR. Morne Morkel comes out, gets a good length ball on off (for his height) and nonchalantly drives down the ground past a diving Rahane.

OUT! South Africa have thrown away the match! Slightly wider outside off, similar length, Morkel drives without feet, Raina takes the catch at first slip, falls backwards as he does it. South Africa all out for 225.

INDIA WIN BY 22 RUNS.

Over 44

Oh dear. Inside edge from Tahir, no feet. The edge of the bat makes a sound like the stump, but the ball merely trickles to the keeper.

OUT! Imran Tahir is gone, and India are on the brink of an upset. Closer to off stump this time. Tahir drives without feet, with a straight bat. Faint edge to Dhoni, Tahir walks. SA have dug themselves this hole. 227/9.

Over 43

Another play and miss outside off by Rabada. Frozen feet.

Morne Morkel is waiting to come in. Two tight overs could make it interesting on overs as well.

FOUR. Rabada, with rooted feet, smashes the ball through extra cover. In the air for a while but he got just enough on it.

FOUR. Short and slow, into the ribs, Rabada pulls without conviction but gets an edge to the fine leg fence. Poor bowling to tailenders.

8 off the over, SA 221/8 after 43 overs.

Over 41

Rohit Sharma concedes a single to Rabada courtesy some poor fielding.

Swing and a miss outside off stump.

SA 211/8 after 41 overs.

Over 40

OUT! Harbhajan has got the wicket he needed to get. Not the best way to get it. Down the leg side, umpire reckons Behardien got a touch on it as it was caught by Dhoni. The snickometer shows nothing at all, but there is no review here. SA 200/8. 

SIX! Imran Tahir lifts Harbhajan into the stands for six.

SA 208/8 after 40 overs.

Over 38

FOUR. Streaky boundary from Rabada, drives on the up, no feet, but got it in the meat of the bat. If cover had been in place, it would have been straight down his throat.

Tries it again, misses with the drive.

Single off the last ball, SA 195/7 after 38 overs.

Over 37

OUT! Dale Steyn is gone. Short ball, marginally slower than Steyn thought, he tried to go over mid off for some reason, and holed out at short extra cover. Umesh Yadav returns to take a crucial wicket. SA 186/7.

SA have sort of self-destructed here. Kind of how they did against Pakistan in the World Cup league game, chasing a low score. The match is not over yet, but there have been many poor shots.

It was Kohli again with the catch.

Rabada is the new batsman, gets a fullish ball outside off and edges to wide third man for one.

Behardien isn't doing much to get noticed, admittedly. He has blocked his way to 13 off 26 balls.

Rabada swings at a ball outside off lazily. No feet, lucky not to get the edge.

No run off the last ball, SA 188/7 after 37 overs.

Over 36

Harbhajan into his 9th over. He needs to get at least one more wicket. For his team's sake - and his own. 

Two off the first four balls without much threat.

Just 2 off the over. SA 186/6 after 36.

Over 34

SIX! Steyn goes with the turn, lifts Bhajji over deep midwicket for six. That was a giant of a shot.

FOUR. Precious runs, and more bad luck for India. Steyn stays back instead of playing from the front foot, is squared up and edges the ball past a diving first slip for four.

5th ball stops on Steyn as he continues to play back, he drops his hands and controls the shot at the last moment.

10 runs off the over though there was just 1 poor delivery. SA 181/6 after 34 overs.

Over 32

3 runs off Harbhajan's returning over so far.

4 off the over, SA 167/5.

Over 30

Axar Patel into his last over. 3/36 so far.

The cover fielders have been relentlessly diving over the ball. Rahane is the culprit this time. 

SA 152/5 after 30 overs

Over 28

Four runs off five balls off the 9th Axar Patel over so far.

De Villiers gets a single off the final ball. So much depends on him now. SA 147/5 after 28 overs.

Farhaan Behardien is the new batsman. He blocks the first ball. The crowd is electric.

Almost gone! Farhaan edges outside off, almost like its the first over of a test match. Falls just short of Dhoni. SA 142/5 after 27 overs.

Over 27

OUT! David Miller has gone off the first ball he faced, and now the game is on! Good bounce from Bhuvneshwar, decently probing line, Miller hangs his bat out and Dhoni dives to take the catch. SA 142/5.

Over 26

Axar Patel continues into his 8th over. 2/27.

2 off the first 5 balls, but what India really need is wickets.

OUT! Did I just say that? de Plessis makes 51 and then hits straight to short cover. Patel has 3/31. Plessis goes down the pitch, tries to go over extra cover, but can't get the elevation and Virat Kohli is directly in the way.

SA 141/4 after 26 overs.

Over 25

Peach of a ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, cross seam and late movement, Faf nearly edged it to Dhoni.

FOUR. Good timing, through extra cover, moves to 49. Again the cover fielder can't get to it.

Quick single off the last ball, reaches 50, has to put in a dive to prevent the run out. SA 139/3 after 25 overs.

Over 24

Axar Patel returns, is driven through covers where the fielder again dives OVER the ball. This has been India's bane the whole bowling innings.

Now an extremely quick single.

OUT! This time Duminy has swept once too many times. This was fuller and straighter, faster as well. It was an across the line sweep, hit Duminy plumb in front. Duminy LBW for 36.

AB de Villiers has come in to bat.

SA 134/3 after 24 overs.

Over 23

FOUR. Short ball, not great pace I think wide of off, and Faf has all the time in the world to pull it through midwicket for four.

FOUR. Fuller ball, inside edge from Duminy, could have easily been bowled. Inside edges go for four though usually.

FOUR. Short but not short enough again, sits up and pulled like a whiplash through square leg for four. SA 131/2 after 23 overs.

Over 18

Axar Patel continues, now in his 6th over.

FOUR. Driven through the covers, fielder dives over it. A dive at sweeper cover results in a relay which the other guy can't get hold of. The ball trickles to the fence.

SA 87/2 after 18 overs.

Over 16

Leading edge from Duminy and Kohli dives over the ball at short cover. The crowd ooohs.

After 16 overs, SA are 77/2. Harbhajan has bowled 6 overs for 27, Harsha Bhogle tells us on commentary.

Over 14

SA have been pulled back a bit courtesy the two wickets. de Villiers may also be injured, adding to their woes.

Sweep shot gets Duminy 1, just 3 off the over so far.

5 off the over , SA 68/2 after 14 overs.

Over 12

OH! Deceived in the flight and the top spin, Duminy nearly falls over as he misses the defensive push. Dhoni flicks off the bails but the back foot is within the crease.

3 off the over, SA 61/2 after 12 overs.

Over 9

Axar Patel continues. India will terribly miss Ashwin today. Not a big target to defend.

FOUR. Q de Kock cuts off the backfoot, Axar bowled marginally short and marginally wide this time. Weight transfer and body shape adds to the line and Kock gets four through point.

SA 48/1 after 9 overs.

Over 7

FOUR. Amla comes down the track and smashes Axar over midwicket for four.

OUT! Tries to do it again, is foxed by the wider line and spin, and is stumped while he is well out of his ground. SA 40/1

Big appeal off the last ball but the ball would have taken it down leg. SA 40/1 after 7 overs.

Over 6

Harbhajan Singh has been introduced into the attack.

Three runs off the first five balls, quite calmly done.

Four off the over, SA 36/0 after 6 overs.

Over 5

Harbhajan puts in a desperate and comical dive to stop a certain boundary through mid on. Kudos. Just a single.

SA 32/0 after 5 overs. Relatively quiet over.

Over 4

DROPPED. Yadav bowls short, de Kock pulls, short mid on dives, takes it, then spoons it at the last moment. Tough catch.

FOUR. Now full and in the slot on off. de Kock just drives through the line, four, no chance for mid off.

FOUR. Beautiful wrists from Hashim Amla takes the ball to the wide long on fence. No pressure from India. SA 29/0 after 4 overs.

Over 1

Hashim Amla and Quentin de Kock are out to the middle.

Amla gets a single to third man for one off the 2nd ball.

FOUR. Kumar drifts on the pads from a very straight ball, and is flicked to the on side boundary.

5 off the over, SA 5/0 after 1 over.

Over 47

Umesh Yadav is the new batsman and defends the first ball.

FOUR. Short, sits up and it is pounded through midwicket for four. The fielder dives over the ball.

OUT! Yadav is gone. He tried to cut the ball fine, but it was slightly too close to the body and Yadav merely edged the ball to the keeper. India 225/9 after 47 overs.

Over 47

Steyn comes back. Huge slog from Harbhajan to a fullish ball outside off, but misses completely.

FOUR. Misdirected slower ball, short and wide outside off, so wide it would have been called wide if Bhajji had left it alone. Steyn lost it in the hand I think. Bhajji lifts the ball over extra cover for four.

OUT! Now he is gone. Goes for a wild hoick to a ball on good length outside off, barely connects and the keeper takes the catch. Bhajji made 22 off 22 balls.

Over 45

After a single by Bhajji, Dhoni flicks a ball on the pads away to the fine leg fence. 200 up for India.

Tahir bowls  very wide outside leg this time, hoping Dhoni would go for it, but he doesn't.

SIX! Down the track comes Dhoni, and launches Tahir way back into the stands. Just over the sightscreen. The crowd has gone nuts.

16 runs off the Tahir over as Harbhajan gets a single off the last ball. India 212/7 after 45 overs.

Over 44

Morne Morkel is back.

Bhajji slashes hard at a short ball outside off and misses.

To the next ball Bhajji gives room, exposes his stumps and gets an underedge which just clears mid off. A single.

Dhoni misses with the flick after walking across his stumps. The ball hits him on the pads and India get a single. There was an appeal but it was too high.

Harbhajan carves through the off side, only a single to sweeper cover. India 196/7 after 44 overs.

Over 43

SIX! Dhoni pulls Duminy into the stands for six. Reaches 55 in 57.

FOUR. Bhajji slogs over the on side, the fielder fumbles a catch and its four.

SIX! In the slot outside off, Bhajji swings hard and this time the ball clears the fence with ease.

Beaten by the turn this time, walked outside off to cut it and missed. India 192/7 after 43 overs.

Over 42 

Morkel to run in

Two runs from the over

India 175-7

Over 41

Rabada to continue

40.1 Four runs. Dhoni pulls a short delivery over the short mid-wicket fielder to the fence

40.3 Four runs. This time Dhoni cuts a wide delivery past the diving point fielder to the boundary. Moves to 48

India 173-7

Over 40

Tahir to bowl his ninth over

39.3 OUT! Bhuvneshwar Kumar is cleaned up by Tahir and he is on his celebratory run. A delivery which pitched on leg and straightened and squeezed through the batsman's bat and pad to knock the leg stump

Harbhajan Singh comes in

Wicket maiden for Tahir

​India 165-7

Over 39

Rabada back in the attack

38.1 No ball. Rabada oversteps and India will get a free hit now

38.1 B Kumar tries to pull but manages to just get a top edge, three fielders are around the ball but none are interested to take the catch  as it a free hit. Single recurs

Six runs from the over

India 165-6

Over 38

Tahir to continue

Four runs from the over

India 159-6

Over 37

Duminy to bowl

36.2 Four runs. B Kumar sweeps and gets four for that. Beat the man at short fine leg and no one is at the boundary to stop it

36.5 Six runs. Dhoni brings out the big shot from his bag. Launches Duminy in the crowd behind mid-wicket boundary

India 155-6

Over 36

Tahir back into the attack

The run rate has again dipped below 4 runs per over

India 142-6

Over 35

Duminy continues

Just a single from the over and Dhoni signals to the dressing for a change of bats. Looks like an heavier one is to brought in by the captain.

India 138-6

Over 34

Morkel runs in. B Kumar to face him

Three runs from the over

India's run rate has just touched 4 runs per over mark

India 137-6

Over 33

Duminy to continue

The part time spinner keeps things quiet. Two runs from the over

India 134-6

Over 32

Steyn runs in to bowl

31.3 Two runs. Dhoni drives on the back foot and takes a couple

31.3 Two runs. This time the Indian captain pulls one to the square leg boundary and takes a couple

31.5 One run. Dhoni take a single by dropping the ball on the leg side'

India 132-6

Over 31

Duminy to bowl

One run for the over

India 126-6

Over 30

Steyn to Dhoni

 29.1 No run. On good length and Dhoni is on the back foot. Pushes at it and misses. De Kock pouches it behind the stumps

29.2 one run. Takes a single down to third man

29.3 OUT! Axar patel is trapped in front of the wicket. Steyn bowls over the wicket and gets one to pitch in line which straightens and Axar is caught napping. Would have hit the top of leg stump. India in dire straits

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the next batsman in

India 125-6

Over 29

Duminy to bowl

28.6 Six runs. Axar Patel goes airborne as he launches Duminy over wide long off for a maximum

India 123-5

Over 28

Steyn comes back into the attack

Just a single from the over. India 115-5

Over 27

Duminy to continue

Three runs from the over. India 114-5

Over 26

Rabada into the attack

25.6 Four runs. Dhoni swivels around and pulls Rabada to the fine leg fence. A boundary after a long time

India 111-5

Over 24

Morkel to continue

23.4 OUT! Raina throws away his wicket. Short delivery on the leg stump and Raina's perennial problem crops up. Tries to fend at it and is caught by the keeper down the leg side. Wheels are coming off India's decorated batting line up

Axar Patel comes in

India 105-5

Over 23

Tahir to continue

22.2 OUT! Rahane is bowled round his legs. A genuine leg break from Tahir which Rahane wants to sweep, he misses it and the ball clips the leg stumps. Umpires check whether the came off the keeper and displaced the bails or not but that's not the case and Rahane has to go.

Suresh raina the next man in

India 102-4

Morkel replaces Steyn

21.1 One run. Rahane runs down the ball to third man a takes a single

21.2 Two runs. Dhoni drops the ball on the leg side and before the square leg fielder can return it to the keeper, he is back for a couple

21.4 Four runs. Rahane brings up his 12th ODI fifty with a delightful upper cut over the keeper's head and that is 100 up for India also

India 101-3

Over 21

Tahir to Rahane

Three runs from the over

India 93-3

Over 20

Behardine comes into bowl

Dhoni to face him

Four runs from the over

India 90-3

Over 18

Steyn to Kohli

​17.1 One run. Kohli straight drives the pacer and takes a single

17.3. Two runs. Rahane flicks to square leg boundary and takes a couple

17.4 One run. Dabs a short one to third man and takes a single

17.5 One run. Kohli again takes a single by straight driving Steyn

​17.6. OUT! Virat Kohli is run out. Rahane could have been out in the first place, uppishly drives Steyn to mid off where Behardine misses a diving catch and the batsmen take a single but Kohli wants a couple and comes back for it. Rahane is not interested and puts his hands up, But Kohli by that time has reached the non striker's end by that time. Behardine throws it to De Kock he removes the bails in a flash. Kohli is disgusted. Hurls a barrage of words at Rahane and goes back to tha pavilion.

Over 17

Tahir to continue

Five runs from the over. It's car and mouse game between the bowler and the batsman now. Both looking to cash in on each others' mistakes.

India 76-2

Over 16

Steyn replaces Duminy

​15. 2 Two runs. Virat Kohli converts a single into a couple. Plays the ball to third man and by the time Imran Tahir can return the ball, Kohli is back for the second

15.5 One run. Cover drives on the back foot and strolls for a single

India 71-2 and it's drinks

Over 15

Imran Tahir to bowl for the first time

Indians milking the singles very well. Four runs from the over. India 68-2

Over 14

Duminy to continue

Five runs from the over. India 64-2

Over 13

Morkel to Dhawan

​12.3 OUT! Slower delivery on off stump and Dhawan is done in by the pace variation. Scoops it to JP Duminy at short extra cover

Virat Kohli comes to the crease and the crowd is excited

12.4 No run. Morkel greets him with a bouncer and the Indian vice-captain sways away from the line of the delivery

12.5 No run. Edged but no damage done. Pushed at a wide delivery on off stump. It takes an edge but falls short of the slip fielder

India 59-2

Over 12

JP Duminy introduced

11.1 Four runs. Dhawan greets Duminy with a boundary. Short delivery, Dhawan rocks on back foot and dispatches it to the mid-wicket fence

11.6 two runs. Rahane cuts a short delivery but Behardine does good work at the boundary to keep it down to a couple

India 57-1

Over 11

Morkel to continue

Four runs from the over. India 48-1

Over 10

Rabada to Rahane

9.5 Four runs. That is easy pickings fro Rahane. Short ball at waist height, the right hander pulls it to the mid wicket fence

India 44-1

Over 9

Morkel to Rahane

8.1 Four runs. Rahane makes Morkel pay for a rank short delivery. Goes on the back foot and cut it over cover for yet another boundary

8.3 One run. A single down to third man

8.6 Four runs. Majestic straight drive from Dhawan fetches him a boundary

India 39-1

Over 8

Rabada to Dhawan

7.4 Four runs. Dhawan lays into a full and wide delivery and AB de Villiers fails to stop the ball at extra cover. Great shot

India 30-1

Over 7

Morne Morkel replaces Steyn. Will bowl to Rahane

​6.2 One run. Rahane calmly guides a short pitched delivery to third man and takes a single

6.5 One run. Dhawan tries to flick a ball on his pads, can't get the connection, the ball drops beside the pits after hitting his pads. The batsmen scamper for a single.

India 24-1

Over 6

Rabada to Dhawan

5.2 No run. Full and out side off, Dhawan drives but finds the fielder at covers

Maiden over from Rabada. India 20-1

Over 5

Steyn to Rahane

​4.1 Four runs. An uppish cover drive  from Rahane fetches him a boundary

4.2 No run. So close yet so far! Outswinger from Steyn which just misses Rahane's bat 

4.4 Four runs. Some aggression from Rahane. Goes on the back foot to cut a short delivery and gets four for it

4.5 Four runs, rahane is breaking loose. Flicks a delivery which is on the pads to the wide long on boundary

India 20-1

Over 4

Rabada to continue

3.2 Four runs. Classical cover drive from Dhawan. The ball races to the fence

Over 3

Steyn runs in

2.2 One run. Dhawan drops the ball on the off side and sets off for a single, Rahane responds and dives to get in at the striker's end as Farhaan Behardine has a shy at the stumps

One run from the over. India 4-1

Over 2

Kagiso Rabada to share the new ball with Dale Steyn

​1.2 Two runs, Rohit drives a full pitched delivery and by the time Behardine dives and sends the back to the keeper, Rohit is back for a couple.

1.4. OUT! Rabada has cleaned up the centurion of the previous match. Full pitched delivery which was moving in, hits Rohit's pads and slams into the off stump. Beaten fro pace

India 3-1

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan come to crease, windmilling their bats

Dale Steyn to start the proceedings against Rohit

Over 1

0.1 No run, Rohit shoulders arms

0.2 No run, glorious cover drive by Rohit but straight to the cover fielder

0.3 No run, beautiful out swinger. Just misses the edge of Rohit's bat. De Kock collects it behind the stumps

0.6 One run. Rohit drives on on the up to the extra cover region where the fielder picks it up and has a shy at the stumps at the non striker end, but Rohit is safe by then. India 1-0