South Africa had a day to forget in Johannesburg on Sunday as they set their lowest ODI score in the iconic Wanderers stadium as Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan ran riot.
On December 17, South Africa faced a formidable challenge in the first ODI against India at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Arshdeep and Avesh, proved to be a relentless force, decimating the South African batting lineup with precision and skill.
| SA vs IND, 1st ODI – Scorecard |
The left-arm pacer, delivered an exceptional performance, claiming five wickets in a display of swing and seam movement that left the South African batsmen struggling for answers. His ability to extract extra bounce and swing was particularly devastating during the Powerplay, where he managed to secure the wickets of Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen in two consecutive deliveries, setting the tone for the innings.
Arshdeep would also add Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaasen and Andile Pheklukwayo to complete his five-wicket haul and create history by becoming the first Indian pacer to get the feat in the rainbow nation.
Avesh Khan complemented Arshdeep’s efforts brilliantly, tormenting the Proteas further with his pace and bounce. He too showcased his talent by taking four wickets, just one shy of what would have been a memorable five-wicket haul. Together, Arshdeep and Avesh dismantled the South African resistance, leaving them reeling at various stages of the innings.
The South African team, having elected to bat first, could not withstand the Indian pace assault and crumbled to a meager total of 116 all out in just 27.3 overs. Kuldeep Yadav, the Indian spinner, put the final nail in the coffin by bowling out Nandre Burger, polishing off the last wicket with a well-flighted delivery that slipped through his defence.
The scorecard reflected a dismal outing for the hosts, with none of the batters able to mount any significant resistance against the disciplined and aggressive Indian bowling.
South Africa’s previous worst score at the Wanderers was 164 against Pakistan in 2019.