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In a rain-curtailed game where new-ball bowlers created problems, Sanju Samson stood out despite India’s nine-run loss to South Africa in the first ODI of the three-ODI series at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. Samson’s 63-ball 86 went in vain as he did not have enough support in the slog overs.
India's run chase got off to a horrendous start as openers Shikhar Dhawan (4) and Shubman Gill (3) got out to Wayne Parnell and Kagiso Rabada. Ruturaj Gaikwad took his time when the new-ball bowlers were on the charge. Gaikwad (19) could not rotate the strike and got stumped off Tabraiz Shamsi's bowling in the 17th over. Ishan Kishan (20) could not make an impact either and lost his wicket to Keshav Maharaj in the next over.
India were reduced to 51/4 in the 18th over. The required run rate had climbed up. Shreyas Iyer revived the run chase with his 50-run knock. While Samson played himself in, Iyer got to his half-century from 33 deliveries including eight fours. He shared a 77-run partnership for the fifth wicket before getting dismissed by Lungi Ngidi’s short delivery.
Shardul Thakur and Samson kept the run chase alive before approaching the slog overs. In the last five overs, India needed 73 runs to win. Samson got to his second half-century from 49 deliveries. Thakur attacked Rabada in the next over and hit him for three boundaries. Once again, Ngidi provided the much-needed breakthrough with the wicket of Thakur who scored 33 runs from 31 deliveries including five fours. In the same over, he got rid of Kuldeep Yadav for a golden duck.
In the penultimate over, Avesh Khan wasted too many deliveries while swinging his bat instead of tapping the ball for a single and getting Samson back on strike. Avesh scored just three runs from six balls in crunch situation before falling to Rabada. Ravi Bishnoi survived a scare as he got out off no ball. Bishnoi followed it up with a boundary.
In the last over, India needed 30 runs to win. An under pressure Shamsi started off with a wide. Samson hammered him for a six and two fours but a dot delivery ensured a win for the Proteas. Samson hit another boundary in the over but it was not enough to get India over the line. At the end of the innings, India had 240/8 on the board. Samson remained not out for 86 off 63 deliveries including nine fours and three sixes.
Earlier, Dhawan won the toss and opted to field first. It was an obvious decision as rain was expected to play spoilsport again. Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj and Avesh Khan troubled Proteas openers with swing in overcast conditions. Malan got a second chance as he was dropped at first slip off Thakur's bowling. In the 13th over, Thakur managed to break the partnership with the wicket of Malan (22).
Out-of-form Bavuma's struggle at the crease continued. Bavuma (8) was castled by Thakur with a brilliant in-swinger. Aiden Markram came to the crease and was beaten by a delivery that spun square. Markram was beaten on the front foot by Kuldeep Yadav. He got out for a five-ball duck. Few overs later, Quinton de Kock threw his wicket away trying to play a reverse sweep. De Kock scored 48 runs from 54 deliveries before getting trapped in front of the wickets by Ravi Bishnoi.
Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller helped South Africa rebuild. In the 36th over, Klaasen got to his half-century from 52 deliveries. In the same over, Miller completed his 18th ODI half-century from 50 deliveries.
In the slog overs, Avesh and Siraj went for plenty. South Africa recovered well to post 249/4. Klaasen scored 74 runs from 65 deliveries including six fours and two sixes. On the other end, Miller remained unbeaten for 75 off 63 deliveries including five fours and three sixes.
