India tear through South African top order to draw first blood in ODI series

India thrashed the Proteas by nine wickets in the opening One-Day International at the Wanderers after bowling the hosts out for just 116.

Wearing pink colours in honour of breast cancer awareness, South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first - but it was all downhill from there.

Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan - both newcomers to the format - did all of the damage for India, each emerging with career-best ODI figures on a day to remember for the two seamers.

Singh claimed 5 for 37 and Khan 4 for 27 as South Africa were reduced to 73/8 inside 17 overs before ultimately getting bundled out for 116.

The only South African batters to provide any resistance were Tony de Zorzi, who contributed 28 at the top of the order, and Andile Phehlukwayo, whose rearguard effort of 33 off 49 deliveries ensured the South Africans at least managed to get over the 100 mark.

Aiden Markram and No 11 Tabraiz Shamsi were the only other batters to get into double figures.

Opener Reeza Hendricks and No 3 Rassie van der Dussen were both dismissed for ducks, as was Wiaan Mulder, while Heinrich Klaasen added just six.

In all, the Proteas top six combined for just 46 runs.

With so few runs to chase down, the Indians had the luxury of choosing their approach, and they opted to waste little time going after the required total.

Mulder did manage to dismiss opener Ruturaj Gaikwad in the fourth over, but the bowlers just didn't have enough runs to defend and Sai Sudharsan and Shreyas Iyer were able to take the visitors to the finish line courtesy of a brisk 88-run partnership for the second wicket.

Iyer was dismissed by Phehlukwayo shortly after notching his half-century, but India were almost home and Tilak Varma smashed the winning runs shortly after as India sealed the win with 33 overs to spare.

Sudharsan top-scored for India with an impressive 55 off just 43 deliveries.

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