A valiant half-century by Sanju Samson came just too late as the Proteas sneaked to a nine-run victory over India in the first one-day international in Lucknow on Thursday.
Samson, who scored an unbeaten 86 off 63 balls, his second half-century in ODIs, took the hosts to 240/8 in their 40 overs as the visitors held on to go one up in the three-match series.
Earlier, after being put in to bat by India, a devastating 139-run partnership between David Miller (75 runs off 63 balls not out) and Heinrich Klaasen (74 off 65 not out) helped the Proteas to a commanding 249/4 in the match that was reduced to 40 overs per side.
India lost Shubman Gill (3) and Shikhar Dawan (4) as the Proteas pace attack bowled excellent lines and lengths early in good bowling conditions.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan shared a 40-run third-wicket stand before left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi got Gaikwad (19) stumped by Quinton de Kock.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Keshav Maharaj then had Kishan (20) caught by Janneman Malan six balls later as the hosts went past 50 to end the 18th over.
Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson shared 67 runs as Iyer went to a 12th ODI half-century off 33 balls before being caught at mid-on by Kagiso Rabada off Lungi Ngidi four balls later to leave India on 118/5.
Samson shared 93 runs with Shardul Thakur before the latter fell for 33, caught by Maharaj, and Kuldeep Yadav (0) was caught by Temba Bavuma in successive deliveries for Ngidi’s third of the match with the hosts on 211/7.
Rabada, who dismissed Avesh Khan, caught by Bavuma for three in the 39th over, seemed to have Ravi Bishnoi caught in the exact same manner on the next deliveryl. But it was called a no-ball, with the free hit going for a boundary.
Samson hit 19 in the final over as India fell just short in what was a nail-biting end to the match.
Ngidi finished with 3/52 in eight overs while Rabada took 2/36 in his quota as Maharaj (1/23), Parnell (1/38), and Shamsi (1/89) took one each.
Meanwhile, Proteas openers Janneman Malan (22 off 42) and De Kock shared 49 runs before Malan was caught at midwicket by Iyer off the bowling of Shardul Thakur in the 13th over.
Captain Bavuma was bowled for eight by Thakur in the 15th over before Aiden Markram was bowled by Kuldeep Yadav for a duck an over later.
De Kock and Klaasen put on 39 before the left-hander fell for 48, trapped leg-before by Ravi Bishnoi, the review of Anil Chaudhary’s decision by SA upheld with SA on 110/4.
They took SA past 150 in the 29th over before Miller brought up his 18th career ODI half-century before Klaasen registered his fourth in the 36th over to go past 200 before going on to score 42 runs in the final four overs.
Thakur finished with 2/35 while spinners Bishnoi and Yadav took 1/69 and 1/39 respectively.
