South African cricket’s biggest day on their annual calendar went down like a lead balloon at the Wanderers on Sunday.
The Bullring was all dressed up in pretty pink, and the Proteas too, but that’s as bright as the day was with the home side bundled out for 116.
India should have had a wicket with the very first ball of the innings Mukesh Kumar wrapped Reeza Hendricks plumb in front, but umpire Richard Kettlebrough ruled not out.
Kettlebrough’s faux paus was of no consequence with Hendricks falling to left-arm seamer Arshdeep Sing the very next over without being open to his account.
This set in motion an almighty collapse with Singh running through the Proteas’ top-order to claim a career-best 5/37.
Sigh ably supported by Avesh Khan (4/27) with the two seamers collecting nine wickets between them to bundle the Proteas for just 116.
Only Tony de Zorzi offered any form of resistance with a counter-attacking 28 off 22 balls.
Andile Phehlukwayo also tried gallantly to form a lower-order fightback, but once he was dismissed for 33 everything came crumbling down.
India required just 16.4 overs to wipe away the target with half-centuries by opener Sai Sudarshan (55 not out off 43 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (52 off 45 balls) that took the visitors home by a comfortable eight wickets.
Wiaan Mulder (1/26) and Andile Phehlukwayo (1/15) were the only successful wicket-takers for the Proteas, but it was much too little on a day that the home side will want to erase from the memory bank very quickly.
Scorecard
South Africa: 116 all out (Phehlukwayo 33, De Zorzi 28, Singh 5/37, Khan 4/27)
India: 117/2 (Sudarshan 55*, Iyer 52)