Kohli magic leads India to big win over South Africa

India captain Virat Kohli continued his excellent recent form by smashing a sparkling unbeaten century to lead his side to a comprehensive 124-run victory over South Africa in the third ODI at Newlands Wednesday. Kohli made 160 not out from 159 balls as India, who had been put into bat, posted 303 for six in their 50 overs, before restricting their host to 179 all out to take a 3-0 lead in the series. South Africa’s brittle batting lineup, without injured stalwarts Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock, were stifled once more by the Indian spinners as Kuldeep Yadav, who took career-best figure (4-23 in 9 overs), and Yuzvendra Chahal (4-46 in 9 overs) strangled their innings. The fourth match will be played at Wanderers in Johannesburg Saturday. The imperious Kohli now has four centuries in his last six 50-over innings. He survived being given out leg before wicket to Kagiso Rabada before he had scored when a review showed he had got the faintest of edge to the ball.

Virat Kohli - batting average 53.40 in Tests 57.34 in ODIs 52.86 in T20Is -- 55.45 in all international formats#SAvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) February 7, 2018

After that he was sublime as he put on 139 for the second wicket with Shikhar Dhawan (76 from 63 balls) to lay the platform for India’s sizeable score. When South Africa captain Aiden Markram (32) and innings top-scorer JP Duminy (51) put on a rapid 78 for the second wicket, the host were given hope. Yet the introduction of the excellent Chahal and Yadav, who took eight wickets for 69 runs between them, pegged the innings back. Yadav had Markram stumped by MS Dhoni and Chahal ripped through the middle-order, including the wicket of debutant Heinrich Klaasen (six). Dhoni’s stumping of Markram took him to 400 ODI dismissals, the first Indian wicket-keeper to reach that mark.

Congratulations to South Africa for beating Virat Kohli by 19 runs in the 3rd ODI.

— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) February 7, 2018

BRIEF SCORESouth Africa 179 in 40 overs (Kuldeep 4/23, Chahal 4/46) lost to India 303/6 (Kohli 160*, Dhawan 76) by 124 runs