Indian Captain Virat Kohli celebrates his century during the 3rd ODI. (BCCI Photo)
Cape Town, February 7 (AGENCIES): South Africa slipped to a hefty 124-run defeat in Wednesday's key third ODI against India at Newlands in Cape Town.
The result resigned the hosts to an insurmountable three-nil deficit in the six-match series.
Chasing a staunch 304-run target, the Proteas slumped to a severely insufficient 179 all out in 40 overs.
Wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, as has been the norm this series, were the chief wicket-takers. Yadav snared a telling four for 23 to Chahal's complementary four for 46.
A South African batting order minus the services of the injured Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock struggled throughout. Only the veteran JP Duminy could withstand the opposition's advances for an extended period. His standalone half-century, of course, was not enough.
At a promising 79 for one, the home side promised plenty more, but a dramatic collapse of nine wickets for 100 runs proved otherwise.
Earlier, centurion Virat Kohli powered India to a formidable final total of 303 for six, after Proteas stand-in skipper Aiden Markram had won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Kohli amassed a superb 160 not out from just 159 deliveries - and struck a dozen boundaries and twin sixes. The century marked his second of the series - and the 34th of a prolific ODI career.
The authoritative vigil, in fact, yielded his second-highest score in the intermediate format of the international game. It proved more than enough to surpass the unbeaten 154 gathered against New Zealand in Mohali in 2016, but couldn't beat the marvelous 183 struck against Pakistan in Dhaka in 2012. The talismanic right-hander, meanwhile, welcomed 1 000 ODI runs against South Africa.
He was given out lbw before moving off the mark, but promptly reviewed the incorrect decision - and television replays revealed the involvement of bat. The visiting captain was well supported by opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan, who relished a brisk 76 during an entertaining 140-run alliance inside 22 overs.
The duo's stand proved particularly important after the early departure of opener Rohit Sharma for zero. Sharma has managed a mere 35 runs in the first three of the six-ODI series. Middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane, allrounder Hardik Pandya and former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni offered promising starts, but neither of the three scored more than 14.
The introduction of legspinner Imran Tahir after the 16th over was a significant juncture for the Proteas, who also deployed part-time offspinner Duminy for a full 10-over allotment. Duminy was, statistically, South Africa's best bowler en route to tidy figures of two for 60 - and included the important dismissals of Dhawan and Pandya.
The tourists boast a commanding three-nil series lead. They have not beaten the South Africans in a bilateral ODI series since 2010. Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Centurion will host fixtures four, five and six, respectively.
