SA vs IND | 1st ODI: India dominate, reduce Proteas to 70-3 in first 18 overs

The Indian team started the ODI series on a very promising note as it removed the first three batters of the home side, South Africa, on the low and slow wicket of Boland Park in Paarl. In fact, the Indian bowling has been so tight that by the end of the 18th over, South Africa were 70-3 having lost three of their best ODI batters in Janneman Malan, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram. 

While Markram was the last man to go, getting bogged down by the dot ball pressure, trying to get a single and in effect getting run out from a direct hit by debutant Venkatesh Iyer, who was stationed at mid-off and hit the stumps like a bullseye and Markram was found well short of his crease. 

Markram, who was out for 4 off 11 balls, had come to the crease after the fall of well-settled de Kock who was bowled by an arm ball from Ashwin which he completely missed. At the time when he got out, the former Proteas skipper was batting on 27 off 41 balls. 

The other wicket to fall, Malan went early as he nicked an outswinger from Jasprit Bumrah in the fifth over of the innings. He made 7 off 10 balls. At the time of publishing this copy, Temba Bavuma, who came to bat number three was still hanging in at 27 off 49 while Rassie van der Dussen, the new man was at 6 off 10 balls with South Africa at 80-3 at the end of 20 overs.