KANPUR, India: South Africa defeated India by five runs in the first one-day international in Kanpur on Sunday to take the lead in the five-match series.
Opener Rohit Sharma struck 150 off 133 balls in the home team's 298-7 after a spirited chase of South Africa's 303-5 in a high-scoring thriller at the Green Park stadium.
Ajinkya Rahane (60) added 149 for the second wicket with Sharma.
India were left needing 11 runs off the final over.
But 20-year-old fast bowler Kagiso Rabada conceded just five runs and claimed two wickets, including the important one of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (31), to lead his team to victory.
Proteas captain AB de Villiers had earlier scored an unbeaten 104 off 73 balls to help the visitors post their imposing total.
The second match will be played in Indore on Wednesday.
AFP
Scoreboard
South Africa:
Q. de Kock c Raina b Ashwin 29
H. Amla b Mishra 37
F. du Plessis lbw b Yadav 62
AB de Villiers not out 104
D. Miller st Dhoni b Mishra 13
JP Duminy c Dhoni b Yadav 15
F. Behardien not out 35
Extras: (lb3, w5) 8
Total (for five wickets, 50 overs) 303
Fall of wickets: 1-45 (de Kock), 2-104 (Amla), 3-152 (du Plessis), 4-197 (Miller), 5-238 (Duminy)
Bowling: Kumar 10-0-67-0, Yadav 10-0-71-2 (w1), Ashwin 4.4-0-14-1, Mishra 10-0-47-2 (w1), Binny 8-0-63-0 (w2), Raina 7-0-37-0 (w1), Kohli 0.2-0-1-0
(Note: Ashwin left the field after bowling four balls of his fourth over. Kohli completed the over).
India:
R. Sharma c and b Tahir 150
S. Dhawan lbw b Morkel 23
A. Rahane c Miller b Behardien 60
V. Kohli c Morkel b Steyn 11
M. Dhoni c and b Rabada 31
S. Raina c Duminy b Tahir 3
S. Binny c Amla b Rabada 2
B. Kumar not out 1
A. Mishra not out 0
Extras: (lb4, w13) 17
Total (for seven wickets, 50 overs) 298
Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Dhawan), 2-191 (Rahane), 3-214 (Kohli), 4-269 (Sharma), 5-273 (Raina), 6-297 (Dhoni), 7-297 (Binny)
Bowling: Steyn 10-0-54-1 (w1), Rabada 10-0-58-2 (w4), Behardien 6-0-38-1 (w1), Morkel 10-0-51-1 (w2), Duminy 4-0-36-0 (w5), Tahir 10-0-57-2
South Africa won by five runs
Toss: South Africa
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Vineet Kulkarni (IND)
TV umpire: Chettithody Shamshuddin (IND)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)
