India pull off stunning win

Written By DNA Web Team | Updated: Jan 16, 2011, 02:25 AM IST

India win the second one-day international against South Africa by one run to level the five-match series.

India win the second one-day international against South Africa by one run to level the five-match series. Munaf Patel was the man-of-the-match.

Chasing 191 to win, South Africa were 152 for 4 after 32 overs. With less than 40 runs to get in 18 overs with six wickets in hand, and with Graeme Smith going strong on 77, none but the most diehard of Indian fans would have deemed an Indian win possible.

But Man of the Match Munaf Patel crashed one through Smith's defence, triggering panic in the South African ranks, and picked up 2 more wickets at teh death to take India to a miraculous victory in the 2nd ODI, by the narrowest margin by 1 run.

Scores: India 190 in 47.2 overs (Y. Singh 53; L. Tsotsobe 4-22) v South Africa 189 in 43 overs (G. Smith 77; M. Patel 4-29)

Graeme Smith was going strong as South Africa crusied to 66 for the loss of one wicket in 12 overs in reply to India's 190.

Smith was unbeaten on 36 off 34 deliveries, while giving him company was Coling Ingram, battin on 25 off 29 balls, in an unbroken half-century stand.

Smith and Ingram joined forces after Munaf Patel gave India a perfect start by getting rid of the dangerous Hashim Amla.

Munaf Patel dismissed Amla with a delivery that jagged back slightly from a good lenth, leaving the South African opener with no choice but to inside edge one to Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

That was the only time India rejoiced as Smith launched into a couple dazzling shots through the off side.

The South African captain first drove Patel through mid-on and then, slashed one through the point region for another boundary off the same bolwer.

He then chose nemisis Zaheer Khan for a boundary, pulling him through midwicket. Smith meted out a similar treatment to first-change bowler Ashish Nehra, moments before whipping off a Munaf delivery through fine-leg.

His captain's dominance had a positive impact on Ingram, who lofted Nehra over long-on for the maximum.

Earlier, lack of discipline by India's batsmen coupled with a fine spell of fast bowling by Lonwabo Tsotsobe helped the hosts bowl the visitors out for 190.

Tsotsobe finished with impressive figures of four for 22, while Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel took two wickets each as India lost their last seven wickets for just 40 runs.

India lost four wickets for 14 runs in the third powerplay, after managing 54 in the first two.

The left-arm pacer worked his magic after Yuvraj Singh (53 off  68 balls) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (38 off 61) revived India's innings with a 83-run fourth-wicket stand.

Tsotsobe took the wickets of Murali Vijay, Yuvraj, Dhoni and Suresh Raina.

Batting first after winning the toss, India lost Vijay with 21 on the board. Tendulkar and Virat Kohli then steadied the innings, but a flourishing 42-run stand was broken when the Delhi boy was run out by David Miller's direct hit.

Tendulkar, who today equalled Sanath Jaysuriya's record as the most capped player (444 ODIs) in this format of the game, played a few aggressive shots before being stunned by a Johan Botha turner.

After spending some time in the middle, Yuvraj got into groove with paddle-sweep four off JP Duminy.

He then guided Morkel over backward point for another boundary. Yuvraj brought his half century in style when glanced Tsotsobe for a four.

In the next ball, Tsotsobe pitched one up luring Yuvraj to go for the drive. The left-hander went for it, but only managed to find Steyn at mid-off.