South Africa beat India by 4 wickets in 2nd ODI

India and South Africa played one of those matches that makes you doubt even the most impressive scores. 358 runs on the scoreboard are usually a guarantee of victory. But not in Raipur, not that evening. South Africa beat India by 4 wickets in 2nd ODI, leveling the series, and making one wonder: is it enough to simply score a lot in modern cricket?

Indian batting inning

At first, everything was going according to the Indian scenario. Virat Kohli, who recorded his 53rd century in ODIs, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored his first international hundred in the format, were in full swing. Their 195-run partnership looked like the foundation for a rout. Captain KL Rahul added momentum at the end, hitting 66 not out, and 358/5 seemed more than enough. It seemed that the series would be closed early.

South Africa beat India by 4 wickets in 2nd ODI: dew and a cold-blooded chase

But cricket is a game where conditions sometimes become a full-fledged player. And in Raipur, that player was the thick, persistent evening fog. The one that turns the ball into a slippery bar of soap. Bowlers, even of Indian quality, cannot handle it properly. The ball doesn’t hold a seam, doesn’t spin, and flies to the bat smoothly and predictably, and flies smoothly and predictably toward the bat. The advantage for the batsmen becomes colossal.

And with this advantage, South Africa beat India by 4 wickets in 2nd ODI. Aiden Markrem, who scored his first century against India, was simply superb. He was even lucky—at 53 runs his difficult shot in the air was missed by Yashasvi Jaiswal at the boundary. In such conditions, every mistake on the field is incredibly costly.

Markrem controlled the chase from the very first overs, and then Dewald Breiwis joined in with his explosive 54 runs from 34 balls. Matthew Breetzke kept the pace, and by the time Markrem finally went out, the necessary tempo was already set. Corbin Bosch and Keshav Maharaj finished the job, coolly adding the missing runs.

On the Indian side, the picture was unusually helpless. The bowlers struggled not so much with the batsmen as with the condensation on the ball. Prasidh Krishna gave 79 runs in 10 overs. Spinners were practically neutralized. KL Rahul admitted after the match that losing the toss was the key reason for South Africa beat India by 4 wickets in 2nd ODI.

This was his 20th consecutive lost ODI toss—a fluke bordering on the fantastic, a statistical anomaly that hit the team hard right here. The captain himself noted that in the dressing room after the game, they discussed how, in such conditions, they needed to score not 350, but 380, to give the bowlers at least some reserve.

The statistics only underscore the exceptional nature of this incident. India lost an ODI by more than 350 runs, only the second time in their history. And Raipur witnessed only the third time in the history of India-South Africa clash that three individual centuries were scored in a match. Alongside the names of Kohli and Gaikwad, Aiden Markrem’s name now appears.

So, did South Africa beat India by 4 wickets in 2nd ODI just because of dew and bad luck? Not really. Fielding errors, including that missed chance to catch Markrem, also played a role. In a situation where every opportunity must be taken, such mistakes become fatal. The team may have lacked that edge that Rahul was talking about.

Now everything will be decided in Visakhapatnam. The series is tied at 1-1. The final match will determine the winner of the series and provide food for thought for future challenges. One thing is for sure: it won’t be boring.