India suffer narrow-loss in final ODI, stumble to series whitewash against South Africa

Cape Town [South Africa], January 23 : India suffered an ODI series whitewash of 3-0 after losing the third and final match against South Africa by four runs here at the Newlands Cricket ground on Sunday.
Chasing 288 to avoid a series whitewash against Proteas the visitors did not get an ideal start losing captain KL Rahul in the fifth over for 9 caught by Janneman Malan of Lungi Ngidi's bowling with only 18 runs on the board.
Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli then stitched a partnership as India went past the 50-run mark in the tenth over. The duo soon notched up a fifty run stand scoring runs at a brisk pace. Dhawan went on to score his 35th ODI fifty and his second of the series.
The rub of the green also went India's way as Kohli's outside edge went away from the first slip fielder and the team reached the triple-figure mark in the 19th over. India lost the wicket against the run of play of Dhawan as a leading-edge went up in the air and keeper Quinton de Kock made no mistake to take the catch of Andile Phehlukwayo's bowling.
In the same over Rishabh Pant got out to a golden duck leaving India in a spot of bother at 118 for 3. The loss of two wickets in quick succession did not deter Kohli as he went on to score his 64th ODI half-century.
Kohli along with Shreyas Iyer took India's total beyond the 150-run mark. Kohli-Shreyas partnership did not last long as Kohli was dismissed for 65 of a leading edge caught in the off-side by Bavuma of Keshav Maharaj's bowling.
Suryakumar Yadav joined Shreyas in the middle as the wicket-keeper as the duo kept the scoreboard moving. But Proteas once again got the breakthrough as Shreyas was out caught of a short pitch ball by Phehlukwayo of Sisanda Magala's bowling.
India reached the 200-run mark in the 38th over. But India's woes continued as Suryakumar too was dismissed caught in the mid off by Bavuma of Dwaine Pretorius' bowling. Deepak Chahar tried to fight a lone battle but he lost another partner in Jayant Yadav dismissed by Lungi Ngidi caught by Bavuma in mid-off by Bavuma.
Boundaries and sixes from Chahar helped India go past 250-run mark in the 45th over. Chahar notched up his second ODI half-century of 31 balls taking India closer to victory from precarious situation.
With only 10 runs needed off 18 balls India, unfortunately, lost Chahar who was caught by Pretorius of Ngidi's bowling. With seven required of 9 balls India lost Bumrah for 12 of Phehlukwayo's bowling caught by Bavuma. With six runs needed of the last over Pretorius dismissed Yuzvendra Chahal for 2 as India were bowled out for 283 falling short by 4 runs.
Earlier in the day, Rahul won the toss and opted to bowl first and the visitors got off to a great start with comeback man Deepak Chahar picking up the wicket of opener Janneman Malan in the third over of the match caught behind by wicket-keeper Pant for only 1.
Quinton carried on where he left in the previous match scoring runs at a brisk pace for the Proteas. But in the sixth over hosts lost the wicket of their captain Temba Bavuma for just 8 as Indian captain KL Rahul sent him back to the pavilion with a direct hit reducing the hosts to 34 for 2.
With the fall of two early wickets, the Proteas needed a partnership and Aiden Markram alongwith de Kock took the team's total to 53 for 2 in the first powerplay of 10 overs. Chahar was given an extended spell as he continued to bowl his seventh over and Rahul's decision paid off as Chahar got the wicket of Markram for 15 caught in the deep by substitute fielder Ruturaj Gaikwad leaving Proteas tottering at 70 for 3.
Rassie van der Dussen joined de Kock in the middle and got a life at his individual score of 12 as wicket-keeper Pant dropped his catch in the 16th over of the match of Jayant Yadav's bowling. Despite losing partners at the other end de Kock did not look too perturbed as he notched up his half-century of 59 deliveries.
Proteas reached the triple figure mark in the 20th over. Dussen and de Kock struck fifty partnership to bring some stability in the South African innings. Opener de Kock started to take on Indian bowlers hitting Yuzvendra Chahal and Prasidh Krishna for boundaries and reaching close to his triple figure mark. Dussen-de Kock pair struck a century partnership for the fourth wicket as Proteas scored 170 runs in 30 overs.
Quinton went on to score his 17th ODI ton his sixth against India in 17 innings equaling the record of AB de Villiers and Ricky Ponting of most ODI centuries against India behind Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya who has seven tons to his name.
Dussen's run of form continued as he went on to score his 10th ODI fifty. The hosts went past the 200-run mark in the 35th over as de Kock and Dussen toyed away with the Indian bowling attack.
Rahul introduced Jasprit Bumrah into the attack and the pacer broke the 144-run partnership dismissing centurion de Kock for 124 of 130 balls caught near the boundary line by Dhawan to give India the much-needed breakthrough.
In the next over Chahal got the prized scalp of Dussen for 52 of 59 deliveries caught in the deep to a brilliant running catch by Shreyas.
With two wickets in quick succession the Indian bowlers bowled some economical overs as the Proteas scored 228 runs in 40 overs. The pressure crept in and the South Africans lost the wicket of Phehlukwayo to a run out by Shreyas.
David Miller and Pretorius then started to hit boundaries as the hosts went past 250-run mark in the 44th over. The 44-run partnership for the seventh wicket came to an end as Prasidh Krishna dismissed Pretorius for 20 caught by Suryakumar. Bumrah got his second wicket of the match dismissing Maharaj for 6 caught by Kohli who took a good running catch.
In the last over of Protea innings, Krishna dismissed Miller and Magala as the hosts were bowled out for 287 in 49.5 overs.
Brief scores: SA 287/10 (Quinton de Kock 124, Rassie van der Dussen 52; Prasidh Krishna 3/59, Jasprit Bumrah 2/52, Deepak Chahar 2/53) vs India 283/10 (Virat Kohli 65, Shikhar Dhawan 61, Deepak Chahar 54; Andile Phehukwayo 3/40, Lungi Ngidi 3/58)