Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and captain AB de Villiers smashed centuries on Sunday as South Africa crushed India by 214 runs in the fifth and final one-day international to clinch its first bilateral series victory in India.
It was only the second instance of three batsmen getting centuries in an ODI innings as South Africa amassed a mammoth 438 for four. It then bowled India out for only 224 in 36 overs and sealed the series 3-2.
De Villiers capped South Africa’s innings with 119 off 61 deliveries after left-handed opener De Kock set the platform with 109 and Twenty20 captain Du Plessis dominated the middle overs with 133.
The first three-century feat was also by South Africa against the West Indies earlier this year when de Villiers had recorded the fastest ever ODI century off just 31 balls. Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw were the other centurions in that innings.
Sunday’s match was the first one-sided game in the series with the previous highest margin being 35 runs in India’s series-levelling win at Chennai on Thursday.
South Africa will now go into an upcoming four-Test series against India with confidence since it also won a preceding three-game Twenty20 series 2-0.
“It was a great series,” de Villiers said. “Touring India is never easy.”
De Villiers struck his third century of the series, bludgeoning 11 sixes and three fours in his trademark style as South Africa reached the joint-third highest total ever in ODIs. Sri Lanka’s 443 for nine against the Netherlands in 2006 is the highest ODI total.
Earlier, Du Plessis retired hurt after hitting six sixes and nine fours off 115 balls. Du Plessis, who hit out despite limping with cramp in his feet, finally converted a knock into three figures after scoring three 50s in the series.
Du Plessis, who gave two chances on 47 and 86, added 164 with de Villiers before walking off the ground.
Du Plessis had earlier played second fiddle to de Kock during a 154-run second wicket stand that set the base for South Africa’s highest ODI total against India and its fourth score of over 400 this year.
De Kock, who survived a chance on 58, kept up his fine record against India as he slammed his fifth century against the opposition and eighth overall with the help of 17 fours and a six off 87 deliveries.
Opener Hashim Amla, who scored 23 off 13 balls, became the fastest to 6,000 runs in ODIs during his 123rd ODI innings. Virat Kohli was the previous fastest, reaching the mark in his 136th innings.
For India, Rahane struck a quick-fire 87 but the team was never in the chase after losing the early wickets of opener Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli which saw it fall to 44 for two in the eighth over.
“The performance overall was slightly up and down,” Dhoni said. “This one game was completely taken away from us.”
Rahane struck three sixes and nine fours off 58 deliveries and added 112 runs for the third wicket with opener Shikhar Dhawan who scored 60 off 59.
The asking rate went past 10 by the 16th over and there was no recovery as pace bowlers Kagiso Rabada (4-41) and Dale Steyn (3-38) grabbed seven wickets between them.
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