Cape Town: India chased down a modest victory target of 79 to claim a seven-wicket win over hosts South Africa in the second Test at Newlands on Thursday and share the two-match series 1-1 after an extraordinary game finished inside five sessions.

India ended their second innings on 80/3 as they launched an assault to try and negate a difficult wicket that was still helping the bowlers.

Rohit Sharma finished not out on 16 and Shreyas Iyer on 4. Yashasvi Jaiswal (28), Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12) were the batters dismissed.

There will be plenty of scrutiny of the Newlands pitch with the match completed in 642 balls, the shortest ever Test in which there has been a winner, beating Australia’s 656-ball victory over South Africa in 1932.

This was India's first Test win at Newlands and also ensured they shared a series in the Rainbow Nation for only the second time.

South Africa, who won the toss and elected to bat, will look back on a desperately poor first innings in which they were bowled out for 55 on a record-breaking opening day.

They gave themselves a fighting chance by dismissing India for 153 when the visitors lost six wickets for the addition of no runs, the first time that has happened in 147 years of Tests.

Aiden Markram hits a four. Photo: AFP/Rodger Bosch
Aiden Markram hits a four. Photo: AFP/Rodger Bosch

But Indiab seamer Jasprit Bumrah took 6/61 as the tourists bowled South Africa out in their second innings for 176 on the stroke of lunch on the second day to set up the win.

Bumrah bowled a superb probing line but also profited from poor shot selection from the home batters, who seemed in a hurry to score runs on the tricky wicket.

South Africa opener Aiden Markram scored a quick-fire 106 as he defied the conditions but lost partners at regular intervals, which forced him to try his hand.

Markram raced to his century in 99 balls but played one big shot to many as he skied a Mohammed Siraj delivery to Rohit at mid-off to end an innings of 17 fours and two sixes.

South Africa won the first Test by a innings and 32 runs.

TAGS

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Onmanorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.