World Cup 2023: Jadeja razes South Africa for 83 after Kohli scores 49th ODI ton
India 326 for 5 (Kohli 101*, Iyer 77, Maharaj 1-30) beat South Africa 83 (Jansen 14, Jadeja 5-33, Kuldeep 2-7) by 243 runs
Virat Kohli equalled the record of fellow India great Sachin Tendulkar as he hit his 49th one-day international century in a dominant 243-run win for the hosts against South Africa in the World Cup.
Kohli, on his 35th birthday, hit 101 not out from 121 balls, sending the crowd at Eden Gardens into a frenzy.
His superb knock helped India post 326-5 from their 50 overs in Kolkata.
South Africa were then skittled out for just 89 in 27.1 overs.
It means India are assured of top spot after winning all eight of their group-stage matches.
South Africa, who have already secured a semi-final place, are second on 12 points, two points ahead of Australia in third.
Kohli put on 134 for the third wicket to anchor the India innings with Shreyas Iyer, who came to the crease in the 11th over with the score 92-2 following a typically explosive start by Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.
Shreyas was eventually dismissed by Lungi Ngidi for 77 from 87 deliveries, before an energetic 22 from 14 balls from Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 29 from 15 saw the innings end with a flourish.
Their spinners backed up India’s powerful seam attack as they breezed through the South Africa batting line-up, with Jadeja the pick of the bowlers, taking 5-33.
With India and South Africa leading the way at the top of the group stage, this match was a potential dress rehearsal for the World Cup final in Ahmedabad later this month.
And the convincing nature of this win will do little to alter India’s status as heavy favourites to lift the trophy for a third time. (BBC)
