India vs South Africa 2nd ODI: Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan ensure series-levelling victory

Shreyas ton, Kishan's 93 help hosts hunt down South Africa's 278RANCHI: With most of his much-fancied and illustrious India teammates busy warming up in Perth in the lead-up to the upcoming T20 World Cup Down Under, home boy Ishan Kishan grabbed the opportunity to hog the limelight at the floodlit JSCA International Stadium here on Sunday. AS IT HAPPENEDChasing 279 on a track that was a bit on the slower side, but without any demons in it, the southpaw started off patiently and, once set, took the aggressive route, blazing away to 93 off 84 balls with four boundaries and seven sixes. Shreyas Iyer resumed from where he had left off in the last match (50) and played the anchor's role to perfection to take India home to a series-levelling seven-wicket win with 25 balls to spare. In the process, the Mumbai cricketer notched up his second ODI century. It was his fifth 50-plus score in the last six ODI innings.

The Kolkata Knight Riders captain slammed 15 fours during his knock. Together with the Patna-born wicketkeeper-batter, Iyer stitched a 161-run stand - off 155 balls - for the 3rd wicket to steady the ship for India, who were down to 48 for two in 8.5 overs. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan played a reckless shot coming down the crease losing his off stump to left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell. Shubman Gill played a breezy knock of 28 before being unlucky to offer a low catch to pacer Kagiso Rabada, who went down in a flash to pouch the chance in his follow-through.

From that point on, it was the Iyer-Kishan show. Both made sure there were no further hiccups in the chase and though Kishan fell only seven runs short of his maiden international hundred, India reached home easily as Sanju Samson joined the party. Earlier, Aiden Markram