India Secures 17-Run Victory Over South Africa in First ODI

Ranchi: India has claimed a narrow 17-run victory against South Africa in the first One Day International (ODI) of their three-match series, held on Sunday. The match showcased a brilliant performance by Virat Kohli, who scored his 52nd ODI century, alongside impressive bowling from Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana.

With this win, India leads the series 1-0, and the next match is scheduled to take place in Raipur on Wednesday.

Kohli's remarkable innings of 135 runs off 120 balls, which included 11 fours and 7 sixes, propelled India to a total of 349 runs for 8 wickets. In response, South Africa fell short, managing to score 332 runs all out.

Kuldeep Yadav was particularly effective with the ball, taking 4 wickets for 68 runs, while Harshit Rana contributed with 3 wickets for 65 runs. Their performances were crucial in thwarting South Africa's attempts to mount a serious challenge after a shaky start.

South Africa faced early difficulties in their innings, finding themselves at a precarious 11 runs for 3 wickets. However, Matthew Breeetzke and Marco Jansen provided some resistance with scores of 72 and 70 runs, respectively. Their efforts kept the visitors in the game, but ultimately it was not enough to secure a victory.

Earlier in the match, Kohli's century was bolstered by a significant partnership with Rohit Sharma, who scored 57 runs off 51 balls. The duo's 136-run stand was instrumental in setting a challenging target for South Africa. Rohit also made headlines by hitting a record-breaking 352nd six in ODI cricket, surpassing the previous record held by former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.

KL Rahul added a late surge to the innings with a score of 60 runs off 56 balls, further solidifying India's commanding total.

Brief scores: India: 349/8 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 135, Rohit Sharma 57, KL Rahul 60; Ottneil Baartman 2/60, Nandre Burger 2/65) defeated South Africa: 332 all out in 49.2 overs (Matthew Breeetzke 72, Marco Jansen 70; Kuldeep Yadav 4/68, Harshit Rana 3/65) by 17 runs.