A magnificent maiden One-Day International century from young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal laid the foundation for a comprehensive 78-run victory for India over South Africa in the second ODI at Boland Park in Paarl. This win secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series for the visiting side.
Jaiswal and Iyer Set Up a Commanding Total
After being asked to bat first on Tuesday, India's innings was built around a superb partnership. Jaiswal, showing immense maturity, anchored the innings with a classy 121 runs off 144 balls. He found a perfect partner in Sanju Samson, who contributed a fluent 63 runs from 41 deliveries. Their 129-run stand for the third wicket propelled India to a formidable total.
Captain KL Rahul also played a crucial cameo, scoring a quickfire 39 runs from just 20 balls towards the end. This late surge ensured India posted a challenging 296 for 8 in their allotted 50 overs. For the Proteas, Beuran Hendricks was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 63 runs.
South Africa's Chase Stumbles Against Indian Spin
In reply, South Africa's chase never gained the required momentum. The Indian spin duo of Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel applied relentless pressure in the middle overs. Bishnoi was particularly effective, finishing with excellent figures of 3 for 42 in his 10 overs. Axar Patel provided crucial support, taking 1 wicket for 35 runs in his spell.
The Proteas lost wickets at regular intervals, with only Tony de Zorzi (45) and Reeza Hendricks (39) offering some resistance. The home team was eventually bowled out for 218 runs in 45.5 overs, falling well short of the target. Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan also chipped in with two wickets each for India.
Series Sealed and Individual Milestones Celebrated
This victory marks a significant achievement for the young Indian squad touring South Africa. The team, led by stand-in captain KL Rahul, has displayed remarkable character to take the series with a game to spare. The final match of the series will now be a dead rubber, scheduled for Thursday in Paarl.
The match will be remembered for Yashasvi Jaiswal's breakthrough ODI century, a knock that announced his arrival as a formidable force in the 50-over format. Sanju Samson's confident half-century and the clinical performance of the bowling unit, especially the spinners, were other key highlights for the Indian team.
