Increase volume IPL-bound Tony de Zorzi In the second ODI, Nandre Burger leads South Africa to an eight-wicket victory against India

In the second One-Day International (ODI), South Africa defeated India by eight wickets to draw the three-match series 1-1 here on Tuesday. Opener Tony de Zorzi hammered a brilliant maiden hundred to compliment an outstanding performance by his team’s bowlers, headed by pacer Nandre Burger.

Playing in only his fourth One-Day International, the 26-year-old de Zorzi hit nine fours and six maximums in his counterattacking 122-ball 119 not out, helping South Africa to finish with 7.3 overs remaining in the 212-run chase.

When India had to bat, opener B Sai Sudharsan and captain KL Rahul both hit solid fifties, but once they were out of the game, they faltered and finished at 211 all out in 46.2 overs. Burger (3/30 in 10 overs) bowled with great intensity to take three important wickets on a surface that offered bounce and speed. Keshav Maharaj (2/51 in 10 overs) and Beuran Hendricks (2/34 in 9.2 overs) also took two wickets.

India needed early wickets to defend the below-par score, but they were unable to break through as openers de Zorzi and Reeza Hendricks (52) laid the groundwork for the chase with a dominant 130-run partnership.

De Zorzi and Rassie van der Dussen (36) added 76 off 83 after Reeza was out, bringing SA to within six points of victory.

The hosts reached 215 for 2 in 42.3 overs when left-hander de Zorzi struck a six to seal the victory. To maintain the series, they bounced back from an eight-wicket pounding in Johannesburg.

In pursuit of 212, Hendricks stuck onto one end of the wicket while de Zorzi played his strokes, ensuring that the two batsmen gave the Indians little opportunity despite the speed tandem of Arshdeep Singh (1/28) and Mukesh Kumar (0/46) bowling well during the powerplay.

The lone opportunity that was lost was in the fifth over when Ruturaj Gaikwad was unable to hold a catch of Hendricks off Mukesh.

Before reaching his century off 109 balls, De Zorzi reached his fifty in the eighteenth over. Reeza, on the other hand, needed 71 balls and seven fours to get his half-century.

Reeza was removed by Arshdeep in the 28th over, and with SA just six runs shy of the goal, rookie Rinku Singh took van der Dussen’s wicket.

Rahul and Sudharsan had earlier put up 68 runs for the third wicket, but South African spinners steadily chipped away at the game.

Burger, who delivered 46 pinpoint balls in his 10 overs, trapped Gaikwad (4) in front of the ball in the second over, making him the first to fall.

In the first powerplay, Sudharsan was all class as he pulled boundaries with ease and played his off drives to help India reach 46 for one.

But Burger sent Tilak Varma (10) back with a bouncer, putting captain Rahul to the crease.

India could manage only 10 runs in the following six overs, from 11 to 16, as a result of the South African seamers bowling in tandem, which caused the runs to dry up.

However, Sudharsan hit spinner Keshav Maharaj (2/51 in 10 overs) over deep mid-wicket for the first six after his introduction.

Sudharsan dove to finish a dangerous solo in the 20th over to complete his second consecutive fifty.

Rahul reached the hundred mark for the team in the twenty-fourth over after a cautious start. He then struck two pull shots for consecutive boundaries off Wiaan Mulder (0/19 in 4 overs), before hitting the ropes off Lizaad Williams (1/49 in 9 overs) and Aiden Markram (1/28 in 4 overs).

Williams, however, terminated the partnership when he dismissed Sudharshan, who was taken aback by the additional bounce and ultimately gave one to Heinrich Klaasen.

India fell to 136 for four in 32 overs as Sanju Samson then pulled one off Beuran Hendricks (2/34 in 9.2 overs) to the stumps.

After a shoddy delivery from Maharaj, Rahul punished him with a sweep shot and proceeded to reach his fifty in sixty balls. Meanwhile, rookie Rinku Singh glided down the field, sending the spinner over long-on as the 35th over yielded sixteen runs.

Just when things seemed to be improving, Rahul played a ramp shot for a four, and then everything went wrong.

The visitors were immediately down to 169 for six as Rinku was stumped off Maharaj’s bowling five balls after Burger had dismissed Rahul for his third wicket.

Kuldeep Yadav (1) was next dismissed by Maharaj, and Axar Patel (7) holed out at long-off off Markram.

After that, Avesh Khan (9) and Arshdeep Singh (18) each blasted a six to help India surpass 200 runs.