By Niharika Raina
New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS): Opener Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer made short work of a paltry chase of 100 as India won the ODI series decider with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over South Africa at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Tuesday.
After Kuldeep Yadav (4/18), Shahbaz Ahmed (2/32) and Washington Sundar (2/15) shared eight wickets between themselves to bowl the Proteas for just 99, Gill made 49 while Iyer remained unbeaten on 28 to complete the chase in 19.2 overs and clinch the series 2-1.
Gill switched to his attacking mode by pulling over the keeper for four in the opening over. In the next over, Shikhar Dhawan got off the mark with a creamy drive through extra cover for four off Lungi Ngidi. After cutting Jansen past the slip cordon, Gill then wowed the fans with a well-timed on-drive off Ngidi, beating mid-on to pick another four.
When Jansen dropped short, Gill punched easily past cover before bringing out the short-arm jab through mid-wicket with panache to collect a brace of fours. Gill's timing continued to be top-notch when he superbly placed the pull off Anrich Nortje wide of mid-wicket for four.
But a mix-up on the first ball of the seventh over saw Dhawan being run-out for eight. Ishan Kishan brought out ferocious fours through point and square leg before Bjorn Fortuin got one to turn in and take a thin edge behind to the keeper.
Shreyas Iyer joined the boundary-hitting party by smashing Fortuin for a brace of powerful fours hit straight down the ground. Gill hit two more fours, including a crunchy drive through the gap at extra cover, while Iyer ramped wide of the keeper to collect another four and put India on the verge of a series win.
Though Gill was trapped lbw by Ngidi, Iyer finished off the chase in style with a six slammed down the ground to clinch a series win for India.
Brief scores: South Africa 99 all out in 27.1 overs (Heinrich Klassen 34, Janneman Malan 15; Kuldeep Yadav 4/18, Washington Sundar 2/15) lost to India (Shubman Gill 49, Shreyas Iyer 28 not out, Bjorn Fortuin 1/20, Lungi Ngidi) by seven wickets