India has not won a series in South Africa and have also never won a game at St George’s Park. India lead the six-match series 4-1.

JOHANNESBURG - Four wickets from Kuldeep Yadav and a century from opener Rohit Sharma helped India beat South Africa in the fifth one-day international (ODI) and clinch a series victory in the process.

India has not won a series in South Africa and have also never won a game at St George’s Park. India lead the six-match series 4-1.

India were sent in to bat by the Proteas, with the opener Shikhar Dhawan falling with the score on 47.

Virat Kohli managed to add only 36 runs to the total before being run out in the 26th over, followed by Ajinkya Rahane for 8. Sharma lasted for more than 40 overs finally being dismissed for a 126 ball 115 with the score on 236/4.

India looked on course to a score north of 300, but some resilient death bowling from South Africa’s bowlers managed to restrict India to 274/4 in their 50 overs. In the process, Lungi Ngidi earned a career-best 4/51 in his nine overs.

In response, Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla got off to a good start scoring 52 for the first wicket before Markram departed for 32 off the bowling of Bumrah. Duminy fell just 3 runs later for 1 followed by AB de Villiers 6 with the score on 65. Hashim Amla and David Miller put on the only meaningful partnership of 62 with the latter contributing 36 of those runs.

Amla was needlessly run out with the score on 166/5. The only other form of resistance came from Heinrich Klaasen and Kagiso Rabada with a 28 run, seventh wicket partnership. The Indian bowlers wrapped up the South African tail for just 35 runs. South Africa were bowled out for 201 in 42.2 overs losing by 73 runs.

Talking about the game, Proteas coach Otis Gibson praised his bowlers but mentioned his disappointment with the team’s batting.

“To restrict that strong Indian batting line up to 270, you would think that we should go on and chase those runs but we were not able to.”

Gibson cited the lack of consistent batting as the downfall this series.

“In almost every game, one of their top three got a hundred. That’s been the difference the whole series. Faf du Plessis got a hundred in Durban and we haven’t got a hundred since,” Gibson said.

He says these performances are the small differences in the series that guide a team to victory.

The Proteas take on India in the final ODI on Friday at Supersport Park in Centurion. Play will start at 1pm.