Kishan and Iyer smash big partnership as India level series against Proteas

A destructive 161-run partnership between Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer helped India chase down 279 for a seven-wicket victory over the Proteas to level the three-match ODI series in Ranchi on Sunday.

Career-best scores of an unbeaten 113 off 111 balls from Iyer (15 fours) and 93 from Kishan, saw India romp to victory with 25 balls remaining.

The first ODI was won by nine runs by SA on Thursday.

India captain Shikhar Dhawan (13) was dismissed by Wayne Parnell and Kagiso Rabada caught Shubnam Gill for 28 off his own bowling to have India on 48-2 after nine overs.

Kishan batted responsibly to go past 50 before Iyer did the same for the fifth time in the last six innings as the duo brought up their 100-run partnership and India moved to 154 for 2 in the 27th over.

Kishan, who was earlier dropped by Rabada off his own bowling, hit four boundaries and seven sixes in his innings before picking out Reeza Hendricks, who took a sharp catch off the bowling of Bjorn Fortuin.

Iyer, on 98, saw Rabada overstep the mark, giving him a free hit which he dispatched to the boundary to bring up his second ODI century. He also shared an unbeaten 70 with Sanju Samson (nine not out) to take his side home.

Parnell claimed 1-43 in eight overs while Fortuin finished with 1-52 in nine and Rabada 1-59 in 10.

Earlier, a run-a-ball 129-run partnership between Aiden Markram and Hendricks, took SA to 278/8 after winning the toss and choosing to bat first at the JSCA International Stadium Complex.

Markram and Hendricks scored 79 and 74 respectively to put SA on course for a big score having lost Quinton de Kock for just five runs, bowled by seamer Mohammed Siraj.

Opener Janneman Malan (25) and Hendricks took SA to 40 after 10 overs when Malan was trapped leg before wicket by slow left-arm orthodox spinner Shahbaz Ahmed, who reviewed the original not-out decision to hand him a wicket on his ODI debut.

Markram and Hendricks batted well and took the Proteas past 150 as Hendricks brought up his fourth ODI 50 and Markram his fifth two overs later.

Hendricks was caught sharply by Shahbaz, after hitting nine boundaries and a six for his 74, as Siraj picked up his second wicket.

Heinrich Klaasen shared 46 runs with Markram before he was caught by Siraj off Kuldeep Yadav for 30. Markram reached 79, including seven fours and a six, was dismissed two balls later to leave SA on 215-5.

With two new batters at the crease the Indians put a stranglehold on SA’s free-scoring approach with David Miller ending unbeaten on 35, the visitors adding just 63 runs while losing two wickets in the final 11 overs.

Siraj finished with solid figures of 3-38 in his 10 overs, while fellow quick Shardul Thakur and spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed and Washington Sundar claimed a wicket apiece.