India beat South Africa by 21 runs

Durban, Jan 9 (PTI) An injury-hit India produced a
disciplined allround performance to notch up an emphatic
21-run victory over South Africa in the only twenty20
international here on Sunday.
Playing without key openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender
Sehwag, India rode on a brilliant half-century by Rohit Sharma
(53 off 34 balls) and Suresh Raina's racy 23-ball 41 to post a
competitive 168 for six after skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won
the toss and elected to bat.
The visitors then returned to restrict South Africa to
147 for nine in the stipulated 20 overs to complete the
victory at the Moses Mabhida Stadium here.
Ashish Nehra and Yusuf Pathan chimed in with two wickets
each to contribute to the cause.
For South Africa, opener Morne van Wyk blasted a
whrilwind 39-ball 67 comprising five fours and as many sixes
but he didn't get support from the other end as the hosts fell
short by 21 runs in the end.
India and South Africa will next play the five-match
one-day series starting here on Wednesday.
Chasing 169 to win, South Africa had a slow start as they
lost their opener Hashim Amla in the second over with seamer
Ashish Nehra doing the damage.
Nehra's delivery landed on the off-stump and moved in a
bit as Alma trying to play across the line, completely missed
it only to see his wickets disturbed.
However, new batsman Morne van Wyk blasted a six and a
couple of fours in the first three balls off Munaf Patel in
the third over to shurg off the slow start.
He clubbed another six in the next over, pulling Nehra
over deep midwicket but Patel removed Colin Ingram in the
other end to leave South Africa at 31 for two.
van Wyk, however, continued his blitzkrieg and picked up
another six and a four off Patel to keep the scoreboard
ticking.
Off-spinner R Ashwin was then introduced into the attack
but it made no difference to van Wyk's plans as he plundered a
four and six at long off and mid wicket respectively to take
South Africa across the 50-run mark.
AB de Villiers then joined the party and lifted a Yuvraj
Singh's delivery over extra cover for a boundary, before
picking up another four at the same area.
van Wyk then sent one Ashwin delivery flying over the
deep midwicket for a six to complete his half-century in just
24 balls, registering the fastest fifty by a South African in
twenty20 cricket.
The 31-year-old hammered another four off Praveen Kumar
in the ninth over but India pulled things back in the next
over, picking up the wickets of de Villiers (14) and JP Duminy
(0) within three balls.
Five balls later, dangerman van Wyk was also sent packing
by Kumar when looking for a big shot he was caught at deep
square leg by Nehra.