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3rd ODI: Centurion Kohli, spinners shine again as India thump SA by 124 runs; lead series 3-0

India registered another convincing 124-run win against South Africa as they bundled the hosts out for 179 in the third ODI and took an unprecedented 3-0 lead in the series.

3rd ODI: Centurion Kohli, spinners shine again as India thump SA by 124 runs; lead series 3-0

Cape Town, Feb 7: India registered another convincing 124-run win against South Africa as they bundled the hosts out for 179 in the third ODI and took an unprecedented 3-0 lead in the series.

Match Scorecard; Series schedule

Skipper Virat Kohli lauds spinners for victory against South Africa

The day and margin of win might be different but the storyline has almost been the same for Team India i.e. spinners wreaking havoc with their spin and skipper Virat Kohli shining with the bat.

Setting a target of 304 for the Proteas to win, India restricted South Africa to yet another paltry total as they were restricted to 179 in just 40 overs.

Losing the toss was the only thing that went against India's favour as they were invited to bat. Batting first, India posted a mammoth 303/6 riding on their skipper's yet another fine ton.

Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (4/46) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/23) once again emerged as the leading wicket-takers for their side. The spin-twins once again troubled the Proteas with their variations and ensured India register three straight ODI wins in South Africa for the first time.

Jasprit Bumrah picked up the other two wickets and drew the first blood by getting rid of Hashim Alma in his first over itself.

No host batsman, except JP Duminy, could offer any resistance against a quality Indian bowling attack as he played a gritty 51-run knock. Duminy, who was promoted up in the order didn't let the opportunity slip away from his hands.

Along with stand-in skipper Aiden Markram, Duminy put up a stand of 78 runs for the second wicket. South Africa looked better with the bat only during the time when these two were batting. The floodgates were once again opened once Kuldeep got the Protea skipper stumped for 32.

None of the Protea batsmen could offer any resistance against a quality spin attack from the Indians.

Earlier, 'Run Machine' Kohli played yet another fine knock to notch up his career's 34th ODI ton as India posted a 303/6. Playing another captain's innings, Kohli remained unbeaten at 160 off 159 deliveries. It was another classy ton coming from unarguably the finest ODI batsman ever. Kohli's sublime knock comprised 12 fours and two sixes.

Kohli has made it a regularity to score a century whenever he comes out to bat. The South African bowlers have not yet found a way to dismiss him.

The right-handed batsman was given out for a duck on the second ball he faced in the innings, but the skipper went upstairs and the ultra-edge showed contact between bat and ball. After having got a review, the skipper looked in full control and went on to play his longest ODI innings (159 deliveries).

India Vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Virat Kohli's unbeaten 160 powers visitors to 303/6

His previous best was 148 deliveries in Dhaka against Pakistan as he scored 183, his highest ODI total ever.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan also looked in sublime touch in the game as he played a knock of 76 runs but certainly missed out on a well deserved century. The southpaw slammed his 25th ODI century before JP Duminy dismissed him.

Kohli got a crucial contribution in the end from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and took the visitors past 300 in the final over of the innings. Together they put up 67-runs off 44 deliveries as the middle-order failed to perform.

Ajinkya Rahane (11), Hardik Pandya (14), MS Dhoni (10) and Kedar Jadhav (1) disappointed as they got an opportunity to bat for the first time in the series.

Duminy (2/60) was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa as he got the wickets of Dhawan and Rahane. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir also got a wicket to his name but conceded 52 runs from the 9 overs he bowled.

Earlier, South Africa skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and invited India to bat but his decision to chase too couldn't help change the fortune for his team.

Story first published: Thursday, February 8, 2018, 1:26 [IST]
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