Sports
Dhawan's ton guides India to 307/7 against Proteas
Melbourne, Feb 22
It was a good toss to win as
a marvellous 137 by Shikhar Dhawan guided India to a strong 307/7 in
their 50 overs against South Africa in a World Cup Pool B clash at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Sunday.
Dhawan's ton, his
seventh in the One-Day Internationals (ODI), is now his highest ODI
score. It is also the highest ever World Cup score against the Proteas,
surpassing former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming's unbeaten 134
scored in 2003.
The defending champions received a huge jolt when
opener Rohit Sharma (0) was run out by a direct hit from South African
skipper AB de Villiers in only the third over.
However, thereon
Dhawan and vice-captain Virat Kohli (46) combined well to put up a
127-run second-wicket partnership. The duo were extremely cautious after
Rohit's wicket offered a very slow start to India.
Backed by
some excellent fielding, South African pacers restricted India quite
easily in the powerplay because of which India were only 10/1 at the end
of the fifth over.
With lethal pacer Dale Steyn (1/55) steaming in from one end, Dhawan started targeting other bowlers.
Both
batsmen played the ball to its credit and kept on building the innings.
The left-handed Dhawan took on the charge and played the anchor's
innings in the presence of Kohli, which does not happen too often these
days.
A fantastic square cut brought up Dhawan's half-century.
But he was immediately given a reprieve when he was dropped by a flying
Hashim Amla at backward point in the 20th over.
Though it was a difficult chance, Dhawan's wicket could have turned the match in favour of the Proteas.
Meanwhile,
Kohli got out while trying to pull a short ball off Imran Tahir (1/48)
at short mid-wicket. The 26-year-old, who scored a match-winning 107
against Pakistan last Sunday, was livid with himself.
However,
Ajinkya Rahane (79) ensured that India did not suffer due to that
wicket. His knock of 79 from 60 deliveries was studded with seven
boundaries and three sixes over the huge MCG boundary.
Both --
Dhawan and Rahane -- upped the ante in the batting powerplay from 36th
over to provide a brilliant platform for India to post a big total. The
duo scored all over the park and South African bowlers appeared hapless.
In
the process, Dhawan notched up his century in 122 balls while Rahane
brought up his ninth ODI half-century. The run-flow continued as Rahane
and Dhawan upped the ante following the latter's century.
The
29-year-old from Delhi hit 16 boundaries and two sixes in his 146-ball
knock. Even Steyn, regarded as the world's best pacer, was hit for
sixes!
However, from a strong position of 261/2 in the 44th over,
India finished poorly as they lost five wickets in the last six overs.
Three consecutive boundaries by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni helped
India push the score but with several wickets in hand a 320-plus score
looked on the cards.
Meanwhile for statistics freaks, India have
never lost a World Cup match after scoring 300 or more while South
Africa have won all three previous Cup meetings against India.