SA win a nerve wrecking encounter
South Africa held their nerves this time around to get across the finishing line winning their crucial group B game against India by three wickets played at Jamtha Stadium, Nagpur.
While chasing a target of 297 runs, Proteas needed 13 runs off last over which MS Dhoni asked Ashish Nehra to bowl by Robin Peterson buried all the thoughts of South Africa choking again in a closing by hitting a four, six, four and four off first four balls to seal a thrilling win.
South African batting performance was a team effort with most of the batsmen contributing to the winning cause as Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB Devillers all scoring half-centuries. Cameos from JP Dumminy, Johan Botha, Faf Du Plessis and Robin Peterson were good enough to give the tense chase finishing touches.
Solid partnerships between Hashim Amla and Kallis for 2nd wicket (86 runs), Kallis and Devillers for 3rd wicket (46 runs) and Devillers and JP Dumminy for the 4th wicket (50 runs0 laid a solid foundation to Proteas chase but panic set in when Harbhajan kept taking wickets in the end.
Johan Botha, however, played a little gem hitting two fours and a six in his 15 ball 23 but once he got out it looked South Africa might choke again needing 18 runs off two overs.
Zaheer bowled a terrific 49th over conceding only five runs that meant 13 runs off last over which were scored easily by Peterson.
Plessis played an important hand by remaining there till the victory was achieved and scored 25 off 23 balls.
For India Harbhajan was the most successful bowler with three wickets and was surprisingly not given the last over to bowl.
Early India wasted a good start from their top order to slip to 296 all out after they were poised for a big score.
Courtesy 48th century from Sachin Tendulkar and fifties from Delhi teammates Virendar Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir India were well placed on 267 for the loss of only one wicket in the 40th over but lost the plot in the end overs to lose its nine wickets for just 29 runs.
South African resurgence was led by their premier fast bowler Dale Steyn who after getting some stick from Indian batsmen in early overs came back to take five wicket haul.
India were all out in 49th over with last seven batsmen getting out while going for glory shots only to lose their wickets.
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