MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Quinton de Kock, Faf de Plessis and AB de Villiers all scored hundreds as South Africa crushed India’s bowling attack to post 438-4 and win the deciding one-day international by 214 runs at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday.
With the five-match series tied at 2-2, de Villiers won the toss and opted to bat in hot and humid conditions and could not have been a happier man at the close of their innings as his team matched their second highest score in the 50-over format.
A 58-ball 87 from local boy Ajinkya Rahane and a 60 from out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan brought some cheer for the crowd but it was never going to be enough for the hosts, who folded for 224 inside 36 overs.
Kagiso Rabada took four wickets while pace colleague Dale Steyn took three for the touring side to complete a 3-2 series win, their first in ODIs in India.
It was only the second time that a team had scored three centuries in an ODI innings after South Africa did it against West Indies in January this year on their way to their highest total of 439 for two.
De Kock (109) continued to make merry against the Indian bowlers, scoring his fifth century in nine innings against the opponents after South Africa had lost Hashim Amla (23) early.
The left-hander hit 17 fours and a six on his way to his eighth ODI hundred and laid the perfect platform for de Villiers’s onslaught with a 154-run stand with du Plessis (133 retired hurt).
