Kohli leads India into Champions Trophy semis after South Africa self-destruct
Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan scored half-centuries as India took full advantage of a catastrophic South Africa collapse to cruise into the Champions Trophy semi-finals.
South Africa slumped to 191 all out in what was effectively a quarter-final at The Oval on Sunday and India’s progression to a likely last-four clash with Bangladesh was never in doubt, Kohli’s men winning by eight wickets with 12 overs to spare.
It was a startling collapse from the Proteas, whose demise from a position of strength at 140-2 featured three disastrous run outs – the first two accounting for AB de Villiers and David Miller before the last, of Imran Tahir, wrapped up the innings in fittingly shambolic fashion.
That disintegration undermined the earlier good work of Quinton de Kock, who made 53, while Hashim Amla (35) and Faf du Plessis (36) were the only other contributors of note.
Their efforts were swiftly put into perspective by India’s top order, with Dhawan making 78 from 83 balls before Kohli guided his side home with a typically classy unbeaten 76 to set up a probable meeting with neighbours Bangladesh at Edgbaston on Thursday.
India book their place in the #CT17 Semi Finals as they beat South Africa by 8 wicketshttps://t.co/oXl2mH0zvg #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/ZXQMSEGL7z
— ICC (@ICC) June 11, 2017
Having been put into bat by the defending champions, Amla looked set to kick on but he departed after feathering the returning Ravichandran Ashwin behind.
De Kock was bowled sweeping Ravindra Jadeja, bringing under-pressure De Villiers to the crease. The skipper had made only four runs from his two tournament innings and it was his dismissal for 16 that started the rot as South Africa hit the self-destruct button.
De Villiers was left a yard short following great work from Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni, before Miller exited in even more farcical fashion with he and Du Plessis running to the same end.
#CT17 – Turning the clock back: @msdhoni ‘s glovework at best against @ABdeVilliers17 #TeamIndia #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/NKWcYCBJob
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 11, 2017
#CT17 pic.twitter.com/McYtea33vu
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) June 11, 2017
Du Plessis played on from Pandya, before Jasprit Bumrah accounted for Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar finding the edge of Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel from successive balls as South Africa folded.
Tahir’s run out left JP Duminy stranded on 20 and in desperate need of early wickets, the Proteas got one in the sixth over of the reply as an aggressive Rohit edged Morkel behind.
Like De Villiers, Kohli had been dismissed for a duck in his previous Champions Trophy knock, but India’s captain looked back to his supreme best here.
Dhawan lifted Morris over the top for four to reach his third Champions Trophy half-century in succession and Kohli soon followed, although the opener missed his chance to hit a third century in three tournament games against South Africa by holing out off the bowling of Tahir.
The India fans made their voices heard when @SDhawan25 brought up his 50! #INDvSA #CT17 pic.twitter.com/Dkl9qjrCwv
— ICC (@ICC) June 11, 2017
But the result was far beyond doubt by that stage and Yuvraj Singh (23 not out) launched Duminy into the stands to send the holders into the semi-finals in fittingly dominant style.
