Dhawan’s 114 sets the tone as India start by beating South Africa by 26 runs
Shikhar Dhawan hit his maiden one-day international century to set up India’s 26-run win over South Africa in a high-scoring Champions Trophy opener on Thursday, lifting the gloom in Indian cricket amid a spot-fixing scandal back home.
Dhawan’s 94-ball 114 and a late flurry of boundaries by Ravindra Jadeja (47 not out) helped the world champions post 331-7 under sunny skies, leaving the Proteas requiring a record run chase in Cardiff to win the Group B fixture.
The South Africans recovered from losing two early wickets to be well positioned on 155-2 in the 25th over, but a run out of Robin Peterson (68) and captain AB de Villiers’ departure for 70 left the pre-tournament favorites with too much to do.
India are looking to add the Champions Trophy to its 50-over world title from 2011. Earlier, India were put into bat after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost the toss in an overcast and chilly morning.
If South Africa had chased down the Indian total, it would have been a record at this venue. The highest successful chase here is 258 for three by Australia against Pakistan in a NatWest series match in 2001.
Interestingly, all the seven completed ODIs before this one had been won by the team batting second here.
The morning session belonged to Dhawan. He was third out in the 38th over after scoring a well-paced 114, studded with 12 fours and a six. The only ‘life’ in his 94-ball innings came immediately after he scored his century. A B De Villiers missed a stumping chance after the left-hander stepped out to off-spinner J P Duminy and missed the line.
That blemish apart, Dhawan was the toast of the Indian crowd, almost 70 per cent of the 16000-strong turnout.
After he got his eye in, the Delhi batsman batted with gay abandon, often stepping out to find the little gaps in a tight off-side field. When he was on 45, Dhawan was struck on his helmet after failing to shy away from a Ryan Mclaren bouncer.
A cut behind his right ear didn’t deter the gutsy batsman, who raced to his second ODI 50 in 44 balls. After Sharma got out for 65, Dhawan featured in a 83-run second wicket partnership with Virat Kohli (31 off 41 balls) as he held the innings together till he perished in the 38th over trying to sweep Duminy but only managing to find substitute fielder Aaron Phangiso at square leg.
Interestingly, in the last six years only two left-handers have made ODI hundreds against the South Africans. Kumar Sangakkara did it in Johannesburg in January 2012 and it was Dhawan’s turn.
India made a cautious start after being sent in to bat. But Dhawan and Sharma put the South African pacers to the sword on a Swalec Stadium wicket that had plenty of runs in it.
At the toss, De Villiers said his pace quartet would make up for the absence of an unfit Dale Steyn. The script did not quite unfold that way.
India opted to play Sharma as an opener in place of Murali Vijay. Both batsmen had failed to score in the two warm-up games, but Sharma’s experience and potential as an opener prevailed when it came to picking the playing XI. Sharma aptly vindicated his skipper’s faith.
It was important to respect the South African pacers in the initial overs. Morne Morkel, who left the field after a groin strain in the 34th over, was the more probing of the two new ball bowlers beating the edge of the bat a few times.
But there was little support from the other end as left-arm seamer lonwabo Tsotsobe neither bowled the right line or length.
Dhawan was the first to open up, stepping out to Tsotsobe and slamming the first boundary of the innings after being patient for 16 balls. Sharma then fed off the burly left-armer with a four and a six as India shifted gears to end the first powerplay at 53 for no loss.
Brief scores
India: 331 for 7 (Shikhar Dhawan 114, Rohit Sharma 65; Ryan Mclaren 3/70) beat South Africa: 305 (Ryan Mclaren not out 71, A B de Villiers 70, Robin Peterson 68; Ravindra Jadeja 2/31, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/49) by 26 runs.