India players celebrate a wicket as Proteas batter Tony de Zorzi looks on during the 'Pink Day' ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday. Picture: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
After falling apart at the start, the Proteas never recovered and were handed a comprehensive hiding by India in the first match of their ODI series at the Wanderers on Sunday.
Needing just 117 runs to win, India made short work of their target, racing to an eight-wicket victory with more than 33 overs to spare.
South Africa’s attack managed to strike early, with Wiaan Mulder trapping opener Ruturaj Gaikwad leg-before for five runs, but they made no further inroads.
Forming a match-winning partnership, Sai Sudharsan and Shreyas Iyer shared 88 runs for the second wicket. Iyer made 52 runs and Sudharsan was unbeaten on 55 as they guided their team to 117/2.
Earlier, five of the Proteas’ top seven batters scored just eight runs between them after they won the toss and chose to bat. Opener Tony de Zorzi (28) and captain Aiden Markram (12) were the only specialist batters who reached double figures.
With the hosts languishing at 58/7, the tail worked hard to try and launch a recovery, led by all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo who top-scored with 38 runs.
Despite the lower-order fight that was produced, however, the Proteas were ultimately bundled out for just 116 runs in the 28th over of their innings.
Seam bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan did most of the damage, ripping through the SA team’s batting line-up. Both players returned career-best ODI figures, with Singh taking 5/37 and Khan grabbing 4/27.
The second of three ODI matches between SA and India will be played in Gqeberha on Tuesday.
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