South Africa put on a masterclass on Tuesday, beating India by 8 wickets in the second ODI. This decisive victory means the three-match series is now tied 1-1. All attention now shifts to the series finale at Boland Park on Thursday, December 21, where both teams will fight for the championship. A brilliant first century from Tony de Zorzi ensured the Proteas chased down 212 without any real struggle.
South Africa produced a clinical performance to beat India by 8 wickets in the 2nd ODI match on Tuesday. The Proteas have leveled the three-match series 1-1 with a big win. All the eyes will now be on the third and final ODI as both teams will look to deliver their best and win the series decider. The final ODI will be played at Boland Park on December 21, Thursday. South African opener Tony de Zorzi’s maiden ton helped his side chase 212 with ease.
India's innings started poorly when Nandre Burger took the wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad in the opening over. Although Sai Sudharsan and Tilak Varma tried to recover, Burger's persistence paid off as he dismissed Varma for 10. The momentum shifted slightly when Sudharsan and KL Rahul combined for a critical 68-run partnership. The 22-year-old Sudharsan showed great resilience to score 62, becoming the first Indian since Navjot Sidhu to record back-to-back fifties in the opening two ODIs of a series.
Captain KL Rahul added to his tally with his 18th ODI half-century, scoring 56 before his dismissal. On the other hand, Sanju Samson was unable to provide a significant boost with 12 runs, and Rinku Singh's debut ended with a modest 17. South Africa's bowling attack was relentless, restricting India to 211, with Nandre Burger leading the charge by claiming three wickets.
The chase began explosively for the home side, as Zorzi and Hendricks built a record-breaking 130-run opening stand over 27.5 overs. While Hendricks fell for 52 and Rassie van der Dussen added a quick 36, Zorzi remained the anchor, finishing unbeaten on 119 to seal the win. The Indian team struggled to find any rhythm or control throughout the contest.