Kohli stars as India outplay South Africa in sixth ODI
Centurion: Disciplined bowling and unbeaten century by skipper Virat Kohli helped India outplay South Africa by eight wickets in the sixth and final One-day International (ODI) at the Supersport Park here on Friday.
After a disciplined performance by the bowlers which helped India restrict South Africa to a modest 204, Kohli (129 in 96 balls), who slammed his 35th ODI ton, anchored the innings perfectly and helped his team to wrap up the six-match series 5-1.
After Indian openers were sent back to the pavilion inside 15 overs, Kohli along with middle-order batsmen Ajinkya Rahane (34 not out) forged a 126-run partnership for the third wicket to hand a comfortable victory.
Kohli, who was adjudged Man of the Match and Man of the Series, completed his third ton of this series through a boundary off leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who bowled an overpitched delivery and Kohli hammered it back down for four.
Soon, the South African bowlers and fielders started feeling the heat and also missed few chances to break the partnership. But the Indian duo kept the things tight in the middle, and as a result, Rahane and Kohli finished off the proceedings in style in just 32.1 overs.
Earlier, Zondo struck his maiden ODI fifty to steer South Africa to 204 even as the other batsmen failed to find an answer to the disciplined Indian bowling.
Playing his first match of the series, Mumbai youngster Thakur was on fire in his first five overs, getting rid of Amla, caught behind by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and then the key wicket of Markram with a slow off-cutter, caught by Shreyas Iyer at cover.
Chahal soon joined the party, knocking off de Villiers' leg stick with a flipper to reduce the Proteas to 105/3, before wicketkeeper-batsman Klassen (22) joined Zondo for a brief 30-run fourth wicket stand.
Such was the dominance of the Indians that the explosive Klassen failed to find a way to free his arms and when he attempted to drive a slower one from Bumrah, Kohli smartly grabbed a low catch at short cover.
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Maharashtra Congress chief Patole meets Kharge, dismisses resignation talk as 'rumours'
New Delhi, Nov 25: Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Monday dismissed as "rumours" talk of his resignation following the assembly polls debacle and stressed on "collective accountability" for the defeat.
Patole made the remarks after meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during which he conveyed that the result had not reflected the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.
"Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other national and state leaders were leading Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) from the forefront during the assembly polls. So, we were sure that the trends were in favour of Maha Vikas Aghadi, even the citizens believed that," the Maharashtra Congress chief said.
"If I talk about Nanded, the Lok Sabha bypolls and assembly elections were held on the same day. In Lok Sabha bypolls, our candidate was winning in six assembly seats, whereas, in the assembly elections, we are not winning even a single seat," he said, adding that there cannot be such a "huge difference".
This is the sentiment among the people also and they have stated that this government in Maharashtra was not being formed on their votes, he claimed.
"So, I spoke to Mallikarjun Kharge on this," he added.
Asked whether he had offered to resign or the party had asked for his resignation after the Maharashtra assembly polls defeat, Patole said, "These are all rumours and there is no truth in them. There is collective accountability."
Patole also said he will meet Rahul Gandhi in a day or two and discuss all issues.
"Democracy is being finished. We have discussed that... there was no talk of resignation," he said.
The MVA alliance, comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), was restrained to 46 seats by the Mahayuti that reaped a rich harvest of 230 seats in the 288-member House.
