5 best India ODI comebacks while defending

#3 India vs. South Africa, 15 January 2011, Johannesburg

Result: India won by 1 run

Munaf Patel was adjudged Man of the Match for his spell of 4/29

The ODI series between India and South Africa was seen as an opportunity for both the teams to test out different combinations just ahead of the World Cup. South Africa had comprehensively beaten India in the first match of the series before the teams took on each other at The Wanderers in Johannesburg.

India got off to a slow start after choosing to bat first. After Murali Vijay’s dismissal, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli steadied the innings, but fell in consecutive overs to put South Africa in a dominating position. Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni combined well to stitch a partnership of 83 runs at a decent rate.

Just when they looked set to accelerate the scoring with the Batting Powerplay still to be taken, Yuvraj got out for 53 with scoreboard reading 150/4 in 36.4 overs. India lost the last seven wickets for just 40 runs to be content with a below par total of 190.

South Africa lost an early wicket, but maintained a good run rate with the second wicket partnership between Graeme Smith and Colin Ingram taking them to 66 in just 12 overs. Though they lost a couple of wickets in quick succession, South Africa looked on course for an easy win with Smith, in the company of JP Duminy and David Miller, bringing down the equation to 39 runs in 18 overs. South Africa aimed to win it in style opting for the Batting Powerplay with required run rate just 2.42.

In the second over of the Powerplay, Munaf Patel got rid of Smith who dragged one onto the stumps going for a punch on the offside. This proved to be the opening that India needed. Dhoni brought back his main bowler Zaheer Khan in the next over who had an immediate impact getting rid of Miller with a cunningly bowled slower bouncer. South Africa were under pressure as they were left with only the bowlers to get the remaining runs.

Wayne Parnell had a couple of useful partnerships with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to bring the game back in South Africa’s control. With 4 runs required in 8 overs, Dhoni brought back Munaf into the attack. Morkel went for a winning boundary only to be caught at point. Parnell then made the same mistake as he cut another shortish delivery from Munaf straight into Yuvraj’s hand to mark the victory for India. Munaf Patel’s spell of 4/29 also secured his berth in the Indian squad for the World Cup.