Highlights of India vs South Africa 2nd ODI: Axar Patel, Harbhajan Singh Help Script Win After Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Heroic 92
Heading into the second ODI, India were under tremendous pressure and MS Dhoni was struggling for form. However, cometh the hour, cometh the man and Dhoni put in a performance that helped India come back in the series. Relive all the moments here.
India had their backs to the wall heading into the second ODI. South Africa were growing from strength to strength and they were favorites. They were staring down the barrel when they were 124/6 but MS Dhoni put in a magnificent performance that changed the whole equation of the match. His 60th ODI fifty gave India a fighting chance and the bowlers responded. Axar Patel's 3/39 and Virat Kohli's amazing catching helped India draw level in Indore. Relive all the highlights here. (SCORECARD | NEWS |VIDEOS)
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20:46 hrs IST: Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets the final two wickets and India have leveled the series in style in Indore. The crowd erupt with joy in Indore and the hosts maintain their 100 percent record in Indore. Imran Tahir goes for 9 as he drives a legcutter while Morne Morkel drives a full ball to Raina at slip who takes a wonderful catch with both hands. India win by 22 runs and the five-match series is tied 1-1.
20:40 hrs IST: Somehow, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir are keeping South Africa afloat. Can the Proteas script a miracle or will India manage a win? South Africa 221/8, needing 27 runs off 42 balls.
20:25 hrs IST: WICKET! Farhaan Behardien goes but i is a poor decision by umpire Vineet Kulkarni. He gave the decision because Dhoni appealed. Farhaan Behardien c Dhoni b Harbhajan 18 (33).
Harbhajan floats a delivery down the leg side and Behardien looks to glance it to fine leg, he misses and Harbhajan is unsure about the appeal, Dhoni appeals after whipping the bails off and umpire Kulkarni gives it out. Replays show no edge. Some would call it poetic justice, some would call it a bad umpiring decision. Anyways, the honors are even. South Africa 210/8, needing 38 runs more for victory.
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20: 10 hrs IST: WICKET! Catches win matches and Kohli gets his third catch. Poor shot from Dale Steyn. He looks to drive a short ball but the ball hits the splice of the bat and Kohli runs back from mid off to complete a good catch. Steyn falls for 13 and South Africa are sinking at 186/7 in 36.1 overs
19:48 hrs IST: WICKET! Catches win matches and India have got the massive wicket of South Africa's superman. AB de Villiers c Virat Kohli b Mohit Sharma 19 (20).
This is a massive wicket and the Indore crowd have erupted with joy. Short and wide delivery from Mohit Sharma, de Villiers slaps it hard to cover but Kohli dives to his left and takes a brilliant catch with both hands. South Africa in huge trouble at 167/6, needing 81 runs more victory. Advantage India!
19:43 hrs IST: The pendulum swings back South Africa's way. De Villiers slams Bhuvneshwar for a boundary and a six as the match is poised on a knife-edge. South Africa 163/5 in 31 overs, needing 85 more of 114 deliveries.
19:40 hrs IST: Axar Patel has finished his spell. 10-0-39-3. A great spell and this could give India victory. However, AB de Villiers is still there and this will give South Africa hope.
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19:30 hrs IST: This has been a brilliant passage of play for India and they are right back in the game. Du Plessis (51) and David Miller (0) are both gone and the pressure is on AB de Villiers.
Du Plessis looks to go over cover by coming down the track but he gives a catch to cover with Virat Kohli taking a good leaping catch. Next over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar strikes by getting rid of Miller for 0 with Dhoni taking a good diving catch to his left. Farhaan Behardien survives in the last ball when the edge does not carry to Dhoni. India are on top with South Africa 142/5, needing a further 106 runs for victory.
19:22 hrs IST: Action packed over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The pitch is showing signs of two-pacedness. One delivery stays low while the other climbs up awkwardly from a length. Du Plessis drives the next ball majestically through the covers and he brings up his fifty in chaotic style as the fielder misses with the throw at the bowler's end. Du Plessis would have been a goner if that had hit. 18th ODI fifty for Du Plessis, solid knock from him.
19:16 hrs IST: WICKET! Axar Patel has broken a very dangerous partnership and India are hanging in there. JP Duminy LBW Axar Patel 36 (46).
Axar fires a full and flat delivery just outside off and Duminy aims to sweep, he misses it and the ball hits the pad, umpire Vineet Kulkarni raises the finger but the impact looked to be outside the off stump. South Africa 134/3, needing 114 more for victory.
19:10 hrs IST: R Ashwin had given a fitness test in the morning but he was not declared fit. Looking at the way South Africa is cruising, they are really missing him. Umesh Yadav is leaking boundaries at will and his figures so far are 4-0-36-0. He was hit for three boundaries in his previous over.
19:07 hrs IST: England will be thanking their stars that day 2 in Abu Dhabi has come to an end. At stumps, they are 56/0, trailing Pakistan (523/8 declared) by 467 runs. They have a mountain to climb in the desert.
19:05 hrs IST: Umesh Yadav comes back into the attack and he concedes seven runs. South Africa are running away with the game in the middle overs and both Duminy and du Plessis play comfortably. India desperately need a wicket.
18:57 hrs IST: The fifty-run partnership is up between Duminy and du Plessis. Both batsmen are employing the sweep and are using the depth of the crease wonderfully to tackle the spinners. Raina concedes 10 runs in his first over and South Africa are cruising at 103/2, needing a further 145 runs from 30 overs.
18:50 hrs IST: Mohit Sharma starts off a fresh over with a short one as JP Duminy pulls one for a single. Faf du Plessis creams one -- long chase for Indian fielders as South Africa settle for three. The duo have stabilized Proteas after twin jolts. South Africa are 93-2 after 19 overs.
18:35 hrs IST: Axar Patel back for his fourth over and is looking in much better rhythm today. It's been all singles this over as South Africa are 73-2 after 15 overs.
18:22 hrs IST: Harbhajan Singh strikes now!.Quinton de Kock is now on his way back to the pavillion. The wicket-keeper batsman hits one straight down to Mohit Sharma who was stationed at long-off. South Africa are 52/2 after 9.3 overs.
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18:11 hrs IST: Axar Patel STRIKES in his first over!.Hashim Amla who had hit Patel for a boundary earlier in the over, tried to repeat the stoke only to miss it. Dhoni is quick the whip the bails off. South Africa are 40/1 after seven overs.
18:06 hrs IST: India have brought in spin in the sixth over itself. Harbhajan Singh comes into the attack. Leg slip and slip in place. Little bit of spin for him but he is tossing the ball up generously.
17:57 hrs IST: DROPPED! This was a bit difficult but Rohit Sharma is an outstanding fielder and he should have latched onto it. Quinton de Kock pulls a short ball hard to mid wicket where Rohit dives to his right to catch it but the ball pops out of his hands. Umesh is ecstatic for one minute but is disappointed. Next ball, to add insult to injury, De Kock punches him down the ground for a boundary. South Africa are 29/0 after four overs.
17:45 hrs IST: We are back for the South Africa innings and Quinton de Kock gets going with a boundary. The Proteas must capitalise on the new ball if they are to lay a good platform.
17:29 hrs IST: The brilliance from MS Dhoni has given India a magnificent chance of squaring the series. Will the bowlers, in the absence of R Ashwin, respond? We will find out in a short while. Over in Abu Dhabi, Pakistan have declared at 523/8 with Shoaib Malik scoring a brilliant 245. In Galle, Sri Lanka are in a position of strength against West Indies, ending day one on 250/2. Dimuth Karunaratne is unbeaten on 135 while Dinesh Chandimal is on 72.
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17:20 hrs IST: A bitter-sweet final over for MS Dhoni and India. Kagiso Rabada comes out on top as he delivers five dot balls. However, Dhoni ends the innings in style by blasting Rabada over deep midwicket to end up on an unbeaten 92 off 86 balls. India have reached 247/9 and it is a monumental recovery, considering that they were 124/6 at one stage. The recovery has been done thanks to MS Dhoni and his partnerships with the tail.
17:12 hrs IST: Dhoni slams two fours off Steyn and he comes closer to his hundred. Can he do it? Can Mohit Sharma give him company? India 241/9 in 49 overs.
17:07 hrs IST: Only two overs remaining. Can Dhoni get to his century and will India cross 250? It will be a monumental effort from Dhoni if he manages to achieve it.
17:01 hrs IST: Another WICKET! Brilliant catch from Quinton de Kock and India are in danger of not batting out the full quota of fifty overs. Umesh Yadav c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 4 (3). India 225/9 in 47 overs.
Styen digs this delivery short and Umesh opens the bat face to fend it, the edge flies to De Kock who takes a brilliant catch to his right.
16:57 hrs IST: WICKET! Harbhajan Singh goes for a spirited run-a-ball 22 but he has given India plenty of confidence. Harbhajan Singh c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 22 (22).
Good 56-run stand comes to an end. Harbhajan cleared the front leg and looked to slog a full delivery to the off side, gets an edge and Quinton de Kock takes the catch.
16:48 hrs IST: Brilliance from Dhoni! The old swagger is back. He dances down the track and deposits Tahir into the stands at long-on. Four boundaries and three sixes in his knock so far. He is lining up for a big score that will silence his critics comprehensively. Tahir concedes 16 runs in his final over and India are 212/7 after 45 overs.
16:44 hrs IST: Missed run-out! Brilliant effort from AB de Villiers but the throw is just wide. Harbhajan pushes Imran Tahir to mid-off and hares off for a quick single, de Villiers swoops in and has a shy at the bowler's end but he misses. Harbhajan would have been run-out.
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16:35 hrs IST: Magnificent from MS Dhoni! What a time to come back to form. He slams his 60th ODI fifty off 57 balls by smashing JP Duminy straight down the ground. The crowd erupt in Indore and Harbhajan too joins in the fun, smashing a four and a six. Duminy concedes 17 runs and India are 192/7 after 43 overs.
16:24 hrs IST: WICKET! Imran Tahir is a true champion and he has broken a dangerous 41-run stand. Bhuvneshwar Kumar b Imran Tahir 14 (32).
Tahir floats this flighted delivery slowly on the middle and leg stump line, Bhuvneshwar goes for the drive but gets beaten by the slowness through the air and the ball hits the leg stump.
16:15 hrs IST: Tea has been taken in Abu Dhabi with Shoaib Malik unbeaten on 231, his highest score in cricket. Asad Shafiq giving him company on 107 as Pakistan are a mammoth 499/4. In Galle, Dimuth Karunaratne's century has helped Sri Lanka reach 212/2.
16:14 hrs IST: I think Dhoni heard us. He waltzes down the track and hammers Duminy into the stands at deep square leg. India take 13 runs off his over and they will be aiming to get going.
16:10 hrs IST: The South African bowlers are rushing through their overs. India are not going anywhere in this period and both Bhuvneshwar and Dhoni have to make a move on.
16:03 hrs IST: Bhuvneshwar Kumar is eating up most of the deliveries while Dhoni is biding his time. Duminy and Morne Morkel are rushing through their overs quickly. Following the end of the Duminy over, the Indian skipper has signalled for a new bat.
15:54 hrs IST: Drinks in Indore. MS Dhoni holds the key if India are to bat the full 50 overs. With the tail so long, Dhoni will have to shepherd the tail and ensure they get to a score in the range of 200-250.
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15:47 hrs IST: Over in Galle, Diumuth Karunaratne has scored his third Test century as Sri Lanka continue to dominate against West Indies. In Abu Dhabi, Asad Shafiq piles on the misery as he slams his eighth Test century.
15:40 hrs IST: Axar Patel's place was hotly debated in the squad and his performance with the bat has not lived up to India's expectation. Axar Patel LBW Dale Steyn 13 (27).
Steyn bowls a good length delivery on leg stump and it straightens, Axar Patel tries to flick it but gets hit on the pad. The umpire raises the finger, that ball was hitting leg stump and it pitched in line. India 124/6 and in a deep hole.
15:34 hrs IST: While India are attempting a comeback in Indore, over in Abu Dhabi, records are tumbling in the match between Pakistan and England. Shoaib Malik has scored his first double ton in Tests while the fifth-wicket partnership between Asad Shafiq has gone past 200, also a record. In Galle, Dimuth Karunaratne is coming close to his third Test century.
15:25 hrs IST: Almost a run-out! Axar was wondering out of the crease and he is caught napping. He flicks it to short fine leg and tries to take a single, Dhoni sends him back and the fielder misses with stumps. Axar was well short of the crease if the ball had hit the stumps.
15:23 hrs IST: The onus is now on MS Dhoni and Axar Patel to salvage the situation for India. Axar Patel's selection has been hotly debated in this match. Can he silence his critics? You can have a look at the reactions of Axar Patel's selection here.
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15:19 hrs IST: WICKET! The short ball has been Suresh Raina's weakness and Morne Morkel gets him. Suresh Raina c Quinton de Kock b Morne Morkel 0 (5).
Raina's troubles against the short-ball continue. To top it all off, he gets strangled down the leg side. Morne bangs a short delivery on leg stump and Raina hops to the off side to fend it off, the ball brushes a faint edge and De Kock flies to his right to complete the catch. India in shambles at 104/5 in the 24th over.
15:14 hrs IST: WICKET! Another one goes! India sink deeper into the mire and it is the big wicket of Rahane. Ajinkya Rahane b Imran Tahir 51 (63).
Shane Warne's Ball of the century has been revisited in Indore. Rahane is stunned. Tahir floats the legbreak just outside the leg stump and Rahane attempts the sweep, the ball spins back in and he is bowled round the legs. Rahane is wondering whether the keeper's gloves brushed the stumps and the third umpire is called in. Replays show that the ball clipped the leg stump and he is given his marching orders. India in deep trouble at 102/4.
15:08 hrs IST: Magnificent way for Rahane to bring up his 12th ODI fifty! He upper-glides a short ball over the keeper and to the third man fence. It is his third fifty against South Africa.
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14:56 hrs IST: This is suicidal! Virat Kohli has charged like a mad bull in a china shop and he has to go back. He is absolutely fuming and he is shouting at Ajinkya Rahane. This is really ugly. Virat Kohli run out (Behardien/Steyn/De Kock) 12 (18).
Chaotic stuff and Kohli has to go. Rahane chipped a drive to mid-off where Farhaan Behardien drops the catch. They scamper through for the single and Rahane is not interested in the second. However, Kohli has charged blindly despite Rahane putting the hand up, the throw goes to Steyn who fires it to De Kock who uproots the stumps. Kohli is absolutely furious and shouts at Rahane that a second was possible. He is absolutely furious as he walks off the pavilion. India 82/3 after 18 overs.
14:48 hrs IST: Meanwhile, a lot of the fans have had their say over the Axar Patel selection. Here are some of the tweets:
You know hardik patel's andolan is doing good when axar patel makes into the team courtesy patel quota #IndvsSA #lolwa
- Akil Shetty (@ChokraShetty) October 14, 2015
The only way to retain Axar Patel in next match is to implement Hardik Patel's reservation quota demand. #SAvInd
- ?Kashmir Will Rise? (@kashmir_rise) October 5, 2015
14:42 hrs IST: Drinks have come onto the field in Indore. No team has the upper hand at the moment. The South Africans are bowling with discipline on this deck while Rahane is batting with tremendous confidence.
14:36 hrs IST: Imran Tahir has come into the attack. He was the game-changer in Kanpur when he picked up two wickets towards the end to change the course of the match. What kind of an impact will he have here?
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14:29 hrs IST: What a tame dismissal! Dhawan is thoroughly disappointed and he walks back to the pavilion. He is still in disbelief. Shikhar Dhawan c JP Duminy b Morne Morkel 23 (34).
Morne floats a full slower delivery just outside off, Dhawan is beaten for pace as he tries to drive it through the covers, the bat turns in his hand on impact and Duminy at short cover takes a simple catch. The onus is now on Rahane and Virat Kohli. India are 64/2 after 14 overs. Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, England continue to be under the pump as Shoaib Malik and Asad Shafiq continue to pile on the runs.
14:22 hrs IST: The fifty-run partnership is up between Dhawan and Rahane. JP Duminy starts poorly be conceding nine runs in his first over. His line and length were all over the place in that first over.
14:14 hrs IST: Dhawan and Rahane are scoring at close to five runs an over. The South African pace bowlers are running out options. Time for Imran Tahir, one feels.
14:10 hrs IST: Meanwhile, the South African players were indulging in a lot of fun during the practice session yesterday in Indore. Faf du Plessis has posted a video of the crowd selfie on his Instagram Account (fafdup). Have a look here!
14:05 hrs IST: Dhawan is hanging in there. He is struggling a bit against Rabada's pace but he pounces on that one opportunity and creams him through extra cover for a boundary. He has scored 10 off 22 balls while Rahane is rotating the strike consistently.
13:59 hrs IST: Morne Morkel comes into the attack after Steyn was smashed for 12 runs in his third over.
13:53 hrs IST: Ajinkya Rahane shows his class. He smashes three classy boundaries off Dale Steyn and India are making a move on. They have raced along to 20/1 after five overs. Meanwhile, over in Galle, the West Indies have struck by removing Lahiru Thirimanne for 16.
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13:37 hrs IST: WICKET! Brilliant from Kagiso Rabada. Sheer pace does it and Rohit Sharma, who scored 150 in Kanpur, is dismissed for 3. Rohit Sharma b Kagiso Rabada 3 (10).
The sheer pace and angle from Rabada has done the trick. He slants in a full and quick ball on the middle and leg stump line, Rohit Sharma attempts the flick but is a bit too late on the stroke, he gets beaten for pace and the ball thuds into the pads to knock off stump out of the ground. India 3/1 in 1.4 overs.
13:29 hrs IST: There is still plenty of debate regarding Amit Mishra's omission. Former India legspinner Anil Kumble says that Axar Patel's selection in place of Mishra is a surprise. Alright, the players are out in the middle. Dale Steyn to start off proceedings.
Preview
India's Virender Sehwag scored a double-hundred in the last match played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in 2011 and locals predict another high-scoring encounter. Any tall-scoring contest means the pressure will be on the bowlers to defend a score. In Kanpur, South Africa won by just five runs after scoring 303 for five wickets.
South Africa amassed 109 runs in the final 10 overs to record the first 300-plus total at the Green Park stadium. It reflected poor on India's bowling. With Ravichandran Ashwin out of reckoning with a side strain, Harbhajan Singh has got another lifeline to resurrect his future and change India's fortunes in this series versus South Africa.
Sunil Gavaskar may think it is unfair, but Dhoni has come under fire for India's poor run. Apart from the bowling, India have a few concerns. Shikhar Dhawan's inability to get a big score, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina's failure to add runs in the middle overs has only put the lower order under pressure. Rohit Sharma has been the brightest spot in the team, but cricket can be a cruel game.
The Indian playing XI in Indore will see changes. While Harbhajan should be guaranteed a berth, Stuart Binny has barely been a successful bowling all-rounder. He conceded 63 runs in his eight overs and scored just 2 runs in Kanpur. For sheer lack of choice, Binny might just sneak in.
The South Africans look more settled. Barring David Miller's form - he has gone 12 innings without an ODI half-century and failed to score more than 15 in four of his last six innings -- the top half of the batting has been fairly productive and in a ground with shorter boundaries, the six-hitting AB de Villiers, who has smashed a record 30 sixes this calendar year, will be a dangerous customer.
In Wednesday's day-nighter, the better bowling side will give its team a healthy edge. The South Africans have done better than their struggling Indian counterparts so far in the series.