South Africa brought parity in the three-match series Tuesday in Port Elizabeth as they thumped India by eight wickets in the second one-day international.
Riding on opener Tony de Zorzi’s maiden ODI ton, the Proteas chased down their target of 211 with more than seven overs to spare to bounce back in the series after a chastening loss by the same margin in Sunday’s opener in Johannesburg.
Playing his fourth ODI, De Zorzi struck an unbeaten 119 off 122 deliveries, studded with nine fours and half a dozen sixes.
The southpaw laid the platform for the series leveling victory with a 130-run opening stand with Reeza Hendricks (52).
After Hendricks’ departure, the 26-year old added 76 alongside Rassie van der Dussen (36) to take the Proteas on the verge of the win.
The series decider will be held Thursday in Paarl, which will be followed by the two-Test series, starting on Boxing Day in Centurion.
The two teams earlier played out a 1-1 draw in the three-Twenty20 international series with the other tie washed out.
Sai Sudharsan and Lokesh Rahul had hit half-centuries before India were bowled out for 211 in 46.2 overs.
Left-arm fast bowler Nandre Burger, in his third international match, less than a week after making his debut, took three for 30.
South Africa made first use of an unusually well-grassed St George's Park pitch when they sent India in to bat.
The strongly-built Burger, 28, struck with the second ball of the game when he trapped Ruturaj Gaikwad leg before wicket for four.
He generated consistent pace and occasional steep bounce.
His fastest delivery was timed at 147 kilometers per hour.
But opening batsman Sudharsan (62) and captain Rahul (56) batted sensibly in a third-wicket stand of 68 before Sudharsan was caught behind off a sharply-lifting ball from Lizaad Williams with the total on 114.
No other batsman could reach 20 as South Africa applied constant pressure.
The tall Sudharsan, 22, followed up his unbeaten 55 on debut in Johannesburg with another impressive innings, hitting seven fours and a six while facing 83 balls.
2ND ODI
India 211 in 46.2 overs (Sudharsan 61, Rahul 56, Burger 3/30, Hendricks 2/34, Maharaj 2/51) lost to South Africa 215/2 in 42.3 overs (De Zorzi 119*, Hendricks 52, Van der Dussen 36, Rinku 1/2, Arshdeep 1/28) by 8 wickets
