India v South Africa, 2015-16
Wisden's review of the fourth ODI, India v South Africa, 2015-16
15-Apr-2016
At Chennai, October 22, 2015 (day/night). India won by 35 runs. Toss: India.
This was a tale of two centurions, as Kohli's 140-ball 138 outdid de Villiers's 107-ball 112. South Africa, who needed an even 300 to clinch the series with a game to go, couldn't manage a partnership more sizeable than 56. With India's three-pronged spin attack dictating terms, not even de Villiers could change their fate. Among his team-mates, only de Kock went past 22 and, with the asking-rate soaring, de Villiers finally edged a pull off Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Dhoni to make it 233 for seven in the 45th over. His 22nd one-day international hundred was a South African record, surpassing Amla and Herschelle Gibbs; de Villiers also overtook Gibbs's tally of 8,094, leaving only Jacques Kallis (11,550) ahead. Kohli, whose century was his 23rd, had enjoyed the support that de Villiers lacked: Rahane helped him add 104 for the third wicket, and Raina - after three runs in three innings - made a 52-ball 53 in a partnership worth 127. Kohli struck five sixes, scampered between the wickets, and batted from the fifth over until the 49th, when he was claimed by a combination of cramp and Rabada. India managed just 29 for four in the last five overs but, once South Africa slid to 88 for four, even de Villiers's magic was inadequate.
Man of the Match: V. Kohli.
This was a tale of two centurions, as Kohli's 140-ball 138 outdid de Villiers's 107-ball 112. South Africa, who needed an even 300 to clinch the series with a game to go, couldn't manage a partnership more sizeable than 56. With India's three-pronged spin attack dictating terms, not even de Villiers could change their fate. Among his team-mates, only de Kock went past 22 and, with the asking-rate soaring, de Villiers finally edged a pull off Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Dhoni to make it 233 for seven in the 45th over. His 22nd one-day international hundred was a South African record, surpassing Amla and Herschelle Gibbs; de Villiers also overtook Gibbs's tally of 8,094, leaving only Jacques Kallis (11,550) ahead. Kohli, whose century was his 23rd, had enjoyed the support that de Villiers lacked: Rahane helped him add 104 for the third wicket, and Raina - after three runs in three innings - made a 52-ball 53 in a partnership worth 127. Kohli struck five sixes, scampered between the wickets, and batted from the fifth over until the 49th, when he was claimed by a combination of cramp and Rabada. India managed just 29 for four in the last five overs but, once South Africa slid to 88 for four, even de Villiers's magic was inadequate.
Man of the Match: V. Kohli.