South Africa records a 1-2 loss as India seals ODI series win: Player Ratings for the Hosts

India, led by KL Rahul dominated the three-match ODI series as they defeated the South African cricket team 2-1. The hosts had a forgettable start in the series as they lost the first ODI by eight wickets. The Proteas redeemed themselves in the second match as they bounced back with a victory by eight wickets. 

The South African batters ruled the game as they chased the score of 212 runs within 42.3 overs while losing only two wickets. However, the team failed to continue the momentum and ended up losing the last game by a massive 78 runs after collapsing at a score of 218 while chasing 297 runs in the allotted 50 overs at Boland Park in Paarl. 

Let us check out the report card of the South African players:

Top Order

Reeza Hendricks (4.5/10): It was a sub-par performance by the opening batter Reeza Hendricks who could not do much as he ended up scoring only 71 runs in three matches at an average of 23.67. His highest score in the series came during the second match as he hit 52 runs off 81 balls with the help of seven boundaries. 

Tony de Zorzi impressed as the experienced batters failed to deliver against India

Tony de Zorzi (8.5/10): Tony de Zorzi was the only positive for the South Africa cricket team in an otherwise underwhelming performance. Unlike his opening partner Reeza Hendricks, Tony lit up the stadium with his consecutive spectacular performances with the bat. He ended up as the top run-getter in the series with a massive 228 runs at an average of 114. 

Zorzi scored only 28 runs in the first ODI but he made up for his lackluster performance in the second match by hitting 119 runs off 122 balls. The opening batter again delivered a good performance in the series decider with a knock of 81 runs off 87 balls. 

Rassie van der Dussen (2/10): It was a series to forget for the number three South African batter Rassie van der Dussen as he hardly made any contributions with the bat. The 34-year-old played all three games for the hosts but ended up scoring only 38 runs at a poor average of 12.67. 

Middle Order

Aiden Markram (3.5/10): Aiden Markram failed both as a captain and a batter in the three-match ODI series against India. Under his leadership, South Africa suffered a historic defeat by 1-2 while Markram also could not deliver even one good performance with the bat. His scores in the three-match series read 12, 2, and 36 runs respectively. 

Heinrich Klaasen (1.5/10): Heinrich Klaasen carried forward his poor form from the T20 Internationals in the ODIs as well. The middle-order batter’s highest score in the series came during the final One Day International where he scored 21 runs after facing 22 balls and before getting dismissed by Avesh Khan. 

Klaasen did not get a chance to showcase his batting mettle in the second match as South Africa chased the score of 212 runs while losing only two wickets. Meanwhile, it was a match to forget for Klaasen in the first ODI as he could manage only six runs. 

David Miller (1.5/10): Apart from Heinrich Klaasen, another player who is responsible for South Africa’s defeat in the ODI series is David Miller. The power-hitter has been one of the biggest disappointments for the hosts in the ODI and T20I series against India. He started the ODI series on the wrong note with only two runs off seven balls. 

The batter got a chance to redeem himself in the final match, but he failed to capitalize on the opportunity provided and ended up scoring only 10 runs. 

All-rounders

Andile Phehlukwayo (3.5/10): An injury in the first ODI forced the all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo to give the remainder of the series a miss. He started on a good note as with a score of 33 runs, Andile emerged as the top run-scorer for South Africa in the first match. 

The 27-year-old did not come in handy with the ball as he leaked as many as 15 runs in the only over he bowled during the game and failed to pick any wicket. 

Wiaan Mulder (2.5/10): Wiaan Mulder could not make much of a difference with the ball as he picked only two wickets in his 15 overs across three games while conceding runs at an average of 40.50 and an economy rate of 5.40. 

Mulder’s batting performance was also below average as he did not get a chance to bat in the second ODI, while his scores in the first and third games were in binary digits. 

Keshav Maharaj (4/10): With the other two all-rounders dishing out underwhelming performances, something magical was expected from the spin master Keshav Maharaj. 

However, Maharaj also did not enjoy a good time in the middle as he picked three wickets while bowling at an average of 35.67 and a relatively better economy of 4.65. As far as batting is concerned, Maharaj batted in the first and third matches and ended up scoring only 18 runs. 

Bowlers

Nandre Burger has impressed early in his South African career

Nandre Burger (7/10): Nandre Burger was the top performer for the South African cricket team with the ball as he ended up in third place in the most wicket-takers list just behind India’s Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan. Burger featured in all three matches and picked five wickets at an average of 25.80 and an economy rate of 5.23.

Burger’s best performance came in the second ODI as he scalped three wickets and gave away only 30 runs restricting the Indian side to a lowly total of 211 runs.

Tabraiz Shamsi (2/10): Following an impressive performance in the shortest format of the game, Tabraiz Shamsi failed to make his only performance in the ODI format in the just-concluded series against India memorable. 

Playing the first match in Johannesburg, the spinner bowled only three overs and went wicketless while conceding 22 runs at an economy rate of 7.3. 

Lizaad Williams (3.5/10): Playing in the second ODI, Williams delivered a decent performance as he picked one wicket from India’s opening batter Sai Sudarshan while giving away 49 runs in nine overs. In the series decider, Williams decided to clean up the centurion Sanju Samson, but he proved to be expensive for the hosts, with 71 runs in ten overs at an economy rate of 7.1. 

Beuran Hendricks (7.5/10): Inducted into the team in the second ODI, Beuran Hendricks impressed the cricket fraternity with his calculative performance in the last two games. The seamer maintained a good average of 19.40 in 18.2 overs while scalping five wickets.