On this day, February 13, 2018: India beat South Africa in fifth ODI to win the bilateral series, rise to Number 1 ODI ranking. It was the fifth and the final ODI of the series in South Africa and India were batting first. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan gave India a solid start before Dhawan departed as India were 48/1.
After the first wicket fell, in walked Virat Kohli who had been in sublime form all series and he stitched up a partnership of more than 100 along with Rohit Sharma. Unfortunately, Kohli was run out for 36 as India lost their second wicket for 153. Soon Rahane also was dismissed and South Africa came back into the game.
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But Rohit Sharma kept going and completed a terrific century. He smashed 115 runs before getting dismissed and had brought India back in the game. Shreyas Iyer played well but fell for 30. India did not have a great finish but managed to go to 274 at the end of the first innings. The surface had something in it for the bowlers and it was just an above par total.
Chasing the target, South Africa openers started really well with Amla and Markram putting up a fifty-run partnership for the first wicket. The game was in the balance but Hardik Pandya came into bowl and picked up two crucial wickets in quick time which also included the wicket of Ab De Villiers. Hashim Amla went past his half century and put up a good partnership along with Miller.
Indian spinners came into the game and ensured a collapse as Kuldeep Yadav ended up with four wickets and Chahal picked up two wickets as South Africa were bowled out for 201. Rohit Sharma was the player of the match and India won the game by 73 runs and also won a bilateral ODI series in South Africa. With this win they also moved up to the Number 1 rank in ODI. It was a terrific series and under the captaincy of Virat Kohli India did well in that series.
