After winning the toss at St George’s Park, the home team opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off swiftly when Ruturaj Gaikwad fell to Nandre Burger within just two deliveries. Burger, making an impact since his debut, continued to trouble the Indian batsmen, limiting them to a mere 46 runs during the initial powerplay.
Despite a slow 30-ball 10 from Tilak Varma ending at Burger’s hands, KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan began reconstructing the innings. Sudharsan, becoming the second Indian to secure consecutive half-centuries in his initial international appearances, helped India pass the 100-run mark by the 24th over.
However, Sudharsan’s dismissal to Lizaad Williams disrupted India’s consolidation. Even though Sanju Samson’s departure added little to the score, hopes rested on Rahul. While Rahul did reach his fifty, his departure signaled India’s struggle, leading to a collapse. With wickets falling regularly, India managed only 44 runs from their last six wickets, setting a target of 212 for South Africa to level the series.
In response, Proteas openers Reeza Hendricks and Tony de Zorzi cautiously initiated the run-chase, gathering 39 runs within the initial field restrictions. They survived a challenging phase against the Indian new ball bowlers, with Gaikwad dropping a crucial catch that gave Hendricks a reprieve at second slip.
The duo steadily accumulated runs through strategic shot placements and occasional boundaries, constructing a substantial opening partnership. De Zorzi crafted his first ODI fifty and maintained a quicker scoring rate than his partner. Soon after, Hendricks also reached his half-century. Together, they scripted the highest opening partnership in ODIs at Gqerehba, surpassing the 129-run stand set by Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke in 2008-09.
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However, Arshdeep Singh ended Hendricks’ innings as he top-edged a short ball to Mukesh Kumar at fine leg after scoring 52 runs. Rassie van der Dussen joined de Zorzi, who went on to convert his fifty into a remarkable ODI century. Although van der Dussen fell to Rinku Singh’s delivery, de Zorzi finished in Dhoni-esque style, ensuring a series decider in Paarl.