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Scorecard Summary
INDIA 299/8 (50 OVERS)
- Suresh Raina53 (52)
- Virat Kohli138 (140)
- Dale Steyn3/61 (10)
- Kagiso Rabada3/54 (10)
SOUTH AFRICA 264/9 (50 OVERS)
- AB de Villiers112 (107)
- Quinton de Kock43 (35)
- Harbhajan Singh2/50 (10)
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar3/68 (10)
Commentator: Vishal Dikshit
END OF OVER:50 | 4 Runs | SA: 264/9 (36 runs required, RR: 5.28)
- Imran Tahir4 (10b)
- Kagiso Rabada8 (9b)
- Mohit Sharma10-0-48-1
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar10-0-68-3
AB de Villiers: We had a great opportunity to clinch the series and the fans will be happy in Mumbai after 2-2. No, the toss didn't decide the fate, a lot of people tried to get that out of me but that's not true. It was a hard-fought game and I loved the way the boys fought till the end. It was a pretty tough wicket to play on and Virat assessed the conditions very well early on. The ball was turning quite a bit and I got a few away at the end, I worked hard and hopefully we'll take some positives to Mumbai.
MS Dhoni: As a total team we did well, bowled well and batted well. They (batsmen) need to give themselves a bit more time and that was the reason to promote Raina and after he gets going he can play the big shots. Everyone has scored runs in the series now so that's good going into the last match. Virat batted exceedingly well and after this. I think it is (short ball is a weapon in the death overs), especially the grounds are bigger and the ball gets scuffed up. It gets difficult to clear the ball from an awkward height to go for the big shots and the bowlers are the ones evolve better than the batsmen, with the fifth fielder they think it's heaven for them now. It was important that bowlers took the responsibility, so I shuffled them up and the three spinners were good. The fast bowlers also have to do their job and finish their quote of 10, or at least nine overs so I decided not to use a part-time bowler.
Kohli is the Man of the Match: The cramps are fine now and the physio told me not to take a chance because I might tear a muscle or two if I sprint or something and the fifth match is still left. It was pretty difficult because there wasn't much breeze during the day when it was hot. If AB starts cramping then you know how hard it is because he is one of the fittest people around. They were bowling in good areas and was tough to get the boundaries so we had to get the single and twos. It always feels good when you get a century and the team wins and while chasing I like it because you get a chance to finish the game. Any century in a winning cause is always special. I told him (de Villiers) in the dressing room my heart was in my mouth when he was batting, he plays unbelievable shots. He's a very modest man too, never praises himself so I'll do that for him. The credit goes to him, he fought it out.
That's all from us then, neutral fans will be loving it as the series heads to Mumbai after 2-2. Two top teams fighting it out so do join us for that, and until then enjoy the other international matches too because whichever spot you choose on the map these days, there's a match going on there. Time for me, Vishal Dikshit, to signoff, ta ta!
Vallathol: "For once, nice to see Dhoni bowl out all his bowlers without banking on part-timers. If only there was better sting in the pace battery !"
Kanav: "This series seems like a well scripted theatre act."
ANAY Loya: "Which ever team wins the toss in final match is going to win the series."
9.26pm So that makes it 2-2 and the series is alive. India did several things right today after winning the toss - Kohli's fluent and quick hundred kept them on course throughout the innings for a big total. Rahane worked at No. 4 and Raina chipped in with a fifty too. 300 was going to be tough on this turning track but AB tried whatever he could to take his team close. He particularly targeted the leg side, played all kind of shots that would get you runs but didn't get enough support from the middle order as the spinners strangled SA. Harbhajan bowled beautifully in his first spell of six overs with turn, flight, and dip to beat the batsmen often.
Harbhajan: "I enjoy it whenever i get the opportunity to play and bowl and really enjoying the series. I think I've done that a lot (aggressive celebrations) so I'm just keeping my energy. We bowled really well, especially the spinners, and the seamers came back strongly towards the end."
Mohit for the last over now, around the wicket
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