Shikhar Dhawan scored a sparkling century to frustrate South Africa's much vaunted pace attack as India set the Proteas 308 to win in their World Cup clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday.
At a stadium festooned with India flags and heaving with blue-clad supporters, Melbourne resident Dhawan's 137 anchored century partnerships with Virat Kohli (46) and Ajinkya Rahane (79) as AB de Villiers' men toiled on a steamy day in the field.
In a big blow for the Proteas, seamer Vernon Philander spent time off the field with an apparent hamstring injury and bowled just four overs.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and had little hesitation sending his team in to bat on a drop-in wicket that offered little succour for the South Africa pacemen. With the icy gaze and slicked-back hair of a James Bond villain, Dale Steyn did his best to soften up India's openers and his second over brought the wicket of Rohit Sharma.
In a horrible mix-up with Dhawan, Rohit was a foot from his ground when De Villiers threw down the stumps in an inspired piece of fielding, with the opener sent back stumbling at the non-striker's end by his hesitant team mate. Dhawan survived a torrid spell of short-pitched bowling from Steyn and steadily built the Indian total with Kohli before flaying the South African attack from the second power-play.
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Rated one of the world's top fielding sides, the Proteas rued a missed chance to dismiss Dhawan for 53, when a diving Hashim Amla grassed a rocketed cut shot at backward point. South Africa's selectors dropped Farhaan Behardien in favour of Wayne Parnell and the move back-fired with the fast-bowling all-rounder conceding 85 runs from his nine overs.
Parnell would eventually dismiss Dhawan in the 44th over when the 29-year-old skied a pull shot to Amla at long leg. The faith in Imran Tahir was better-placed, with the leg-spinner capturing Kohli's wicket with a full toss that the number three batsman bashed straight to Faf du Plessis at short midwicket.
That only brought Rahane to the crease, and the number four joined Dhawan in plundering the South Africans. Dhawan raised thunderous cheers from the pro-India crowd when he raised his seventh ODI hundred, cutting to the fence with his 14th four.
He later left Steyn fuming by belting him over his head for six and finessing a glorious ramp shot for four behind the wicket off the next ball. Rahane hit three sixes in a glittering 60-ball knock before being trapped lbw by Steyn at 278-5 with four overs to spare.
Dhoni scored 18 to push his team past 300, the Indians eventually finishing on 307 for seven.
