Rohit Sharma blazed a half-century as India cantered to a 21-run win over South Africa in a one-off Twenty20 international at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday. After India won the toss and elected to bat, Sharma weighed in with 53 off 34 balls to help India total 168 for six.
South Africa, despite a destructive innings of 67 off 39 deliveries from Morne van Wyk, managed only 147 for nine in their 20 overs, with India's off-spinner Yusuf Pathan and left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra picking up two wickets apiece.
Sharma, who came in with the tourists 18-1, hit five fours and two sixes before he holed out to deep midwicket off the bowling of off-spinner JP Duminy to leave India 109 for three. The left-handed Suresh Raina built on Sharma's platform by helping himself to 41 runs from 23 balls before he was dismissed off the last ball of the innings. Seamer Juan Theron was the most successful bowler for the home side, with figures of two for 39, while left-arm quick Wayne Parnell was the most impressive bowler with one for 25 off his four overs.
The match was the last international appearance for paceman Makhaya Ntini, but the 33-year-old did not enjoy the best of days, for his four overs cost 46 runs.
South Africa made a strong start to their reply thanks to Van Wyk's belligerent knock. The 31-year-old opening batsman, playing in just his third T20 international, was a late addition to the South Africa squad after Graeme Smith pulled out with a bruised hand.
Van Wyk justified his inclusion as he raced to his fifty off 24 balls, a South Africa record in T20 internationals beating the previous best of 25 balls, a record jointly held by Smith, Loots Bosman and AB de Villiers.
When Van Wyk's knock was ended in the 11th over, leaving the Proteas 93 for five, the hosts' challenge fell away.

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INDIA:
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V. Kohli b Botha                  28
M. Vijay c Van Wyk b Parnell      14
R. Sharma c Ntini b Duminy        53
Yuvraj Singh run out (Miller)     12
Y. Pathan b Theron                 6
S. Raina c Miller b Theron        41
M. Dhoni not out                  10
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Extras: (lb1, w3)                  4
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Total: (6 wkts, 20 overs)        168
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Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-67, 3-109, 4-110, 5-136, 6-168.
Bowling: Parnell 4-0-25-1 (w1), Ntini 4-0-46-0, Theron 4-0-39-2 (w1), Peterson 3-0-20-0 (w1), Botha 3-0-25-1, Duminy 2-0-12-1 Did not bat: R. Ashwin, P. Kumar, A. Nehra, M. Patel.

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SOUTH AFRICA:
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M. van Wyk c Nehra b Kumar        67
H. Amla b Nehra                    1
C. Ingram c Kumar b Patel          2
A. de Villiers run out (Raina)    14
J. Duminy lbw b Yuvraj             0
D. Miller lbw b Pathan            10
J. Botha c Sharma b Nehra         25
R. Peterson c Kohli b Pathan       2
W. Parnell c Pathan b Ashwin      14
J. Theron not out                  1
M. Ntini not out                   1
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Extras: (b4, lb3, w3)             10
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Total: (9 wkts, 20 overs)        147
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Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-31, 3-88, 4-89, 5-93, 6-108, 7-120, 8-141, 9-144.
Bowling: Kumar 3-0-17-1 (w1), Nehra 4-0-22-2, Patel 2-0-26-1, Ashwin 4-0-33-1 (w2), Yuvraj 4-0-20-1, Pathan 3-0-22-2
Result: India won by 21 runs
Toss: India
Umpires: Marais Erasmus, Brian Jerling (both RSA)
TV umpire: Johan Cloete (RSA)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG).