AGENCY
London: Defending champions India outclassed South Africa in all departments of the game to enter the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory here today.
India will meet Bangladesh in the semi-finals in Birmingham on Thursday.
The Proteas lived up to their ‘Perennial Chokers’ tag in a virtual quarter-final clash that turned out to be a thoroughly one-sided encounter.
Shikhar Dhawan (78 off 83 balls) and skipper Virat Kohli (76 off 101 balls) made it look like a walk in the park as India chased down a target of 192 in only 38 overs.
It was Dhawan’s third
50-plus score in the competition, while skipper Kohli made amends for a rare failure against Sri Lanka in
style, notching up his 41st ODI half century.
On a day when it mattered the most, India brought their A game to the fore while AB de Villiers’ men wilted under pressure, as it has been with them in high-stakes games.
The Indian bowling was disciplined, the fielding exceptional with three run-outs, and then there was a professional batting performance.
If it’s the Champions Trophy, Dhawan can hardly put a foot wrong as he hit 12 fours and a flicked six off Morne Morkel over deep square leg.
If Dhawan muscled the ball through the off-side cordon, Kohli caressed it with care, hitting seven fours and a six as the duo added 128 runs for the second wicket.
A rhythm player to the core, Dhawan has made the best use of the second lease of life that he has got in this Champions Trophy. The ferocity with which he drove was a treat to watch.
A lot of his shots were in the arc between cover and mid-off.
When Imran Tahir bowled short, he pulled him with
disdain.
score board
South Africa innings
Q de Kock† b Jadeja 53
HM Amla c †Dhoni b Ashwin 35
F du Plessis b Pandya 36
AB de Villiers* run out (Pandya/†Dhoni) 16
DA Miller run out (Bumrah/Kohli) 01
JP Duminy not out 20
CH Morris c Kumar b Bumrah 04
AL Phehlukwayo lbw b Bumrah 04
K Rabada c †Dhoni b Kumar 05
M Morkel c Kohli b Kumar 00
Imran Tahir run out (Kohli/†Dhoni) 01
Extras 16
Total 191/10
India innings
RG Sharma c †de Kock b Morkel 12
S Dhawan c du Plessis b Imran Tahir 78
V Kohli* not out 76
Yuvraj Singh not out 23
Extras 04
Total 193/2