Much was on stake for everyone in the first match of the ODI series between second-string Indian team and a full-strength South Africa here on Thursday.
Stand-in skipper Shikhar Dhawan wanted to continue his good form to be the reckoning for next year’s 50-over World Cup at home, whereas rival skipper Temba Bavuma needed to win back his confidence as a batter ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Neither Dhawan nor Bavuma could click with the willow, but South African bowlers kept bowling on right lines to help the side carve out a nine-run win at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
The 93-run sixth-wicket partnership between Sanju Samson (86* off 63) and Shardul Thakur (33 off 31) kept Proteas on their toes for a bit, but India eventually finished the rain-curtailed 40-over-a-side match at 240/8 after being reduced to 2/8 in 5.1 overs.
Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer was a class apart, hitting 37-ball 50 that contained eight hits to the fence after top order batters Shikhar Dhawan (4), Shubman Gill (3), Ishan Kishan (20), and Ruturaj Gaikwad (19) departed in quick succession.
Earlier, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen smashed half-centuries to help South Africa post 249/4, even though the visitors managed only 41 runs after 10 overs. Miller (75* off 63) struck the first six of the match, lofting debutant Ravi Bishnoi over his head into the stands, and thereafter there was no stopping the southpaw.
He added an unbeaten 139 runs for the fifth-wicket with Klaasen (74* off 65) as the duo made full use of the death-over inconsistency of Indian bowlers. South Africa scored 54 runs in the last five overs, hitting three sixes and equal number of fours. The Proteas were helped by below-par Indian fielding with the hosts dropping as many as four catches.
The two sides will meet for the second ODI in Ranchi on Sunday.