In a sensational turn of events, South Africa stunned India by pulling off the second-highest successful ODI chase ever against them, winning by four wickets to level the series 1-1. Set a formidable 359 to win, the Proteas were guided to victory by a masterful century from Aiden Markram (110 off 98 balls). The chase was powered by crucial partnerships, including a 101-run stand with Temba Bavuma and a vital 92-run collaboration between Matthew Breetzke (68) and Dewald Brevis (54) for the fourth wicket. India, after centuries from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad propelled them to 358/5, couldn’t defend their total. Markram capitalized on a dropped catch on 53, building a foundation for the chase. Despite challenging bowling from India’s Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, Markram displayed excellent stroke play. The dewy conditions played a role, aiding the South African batsmen as they consistently stayed ahead of the required run rate. Corbin Bosch’s finishing touches with an unbeaten 29 ensured South Africa crossed the line with four balls remaining, setting up a thrilling series decider.
