NEW DELHI: India faced a setback as their inability to convert starts into centuries and a middle-order collapse resulted in an eight-wicket defeat against South Africa in the One-Day International (ODI) n a hard-fought encounter at St George's Park on Tuesday.
After a promising start, India, who were sent in to bat, crumbled to 211 all out, leaving South Africa with a manageable target.
With the series now level at 1-1, both teams gear up for a crucial decider in Paarl on Thursday.
Challenging conditions for batting
India's captain KL Rahul acknowledged the challenging conditions, stating, "It was a hard wicket to bat on, but a couple of us got set. If one of us, including me, could have gone on to get a hundred we could have controlled the innings and got 50-60 runs extra, which could have made a big difference."
Despite solid contributions from opener Sai Sudharsan (62) and Rahul himself (56), India failed to capitalize on the platform and lost wickets at crucial intervals.
Expressing confidence in his team, Rahul emphasized, "We trust the players to come up with their own game plan. Games like this will help them learn and get better as a cricketer."
Remarkable comeback from the hosts
South Africa, on the other hand, staged a remarkable comeback after being outplayed in the first game of the series.
Captain Aiden Markram highlighted the team's improved performance, saying, "It was a much better overall performance."
Tony's match-winning knock: The home side's bowlers created pressure early on, and left-handed opener's unbeaten 119 in 122 balls sealed the victory, showcasing his maturity in his fourth ODI appearance.
Drop catch & missed opportunities
Rahul admitted that missed opportunities, including a dropped catch, impacted India's chances.
"In the first 10 overs we beat the edge quite a lot. We had a chance with a catch that we missed. That might have made a difference. But we leave that here at the ground today and focus on the next game," he said.
'It was fantastic to watch'
Reflecting on de Zorzi's outstanding performance, Markram praised the young opener, stating, "To put in a performance like that, to remain not out at the end and to remember how the crowd was to him, we were pretty much in awe. It was fantastic to watch. Hopefully the first of many for him. The dressing room enjoyed it."
As both teams prepare for the series decider in Paarl, the stage is set for a thrilling finale to determine the winner of this closely contested ODI series.
(With inputs from Reuters)
