All-round India thrash SA by 130 runs

Posting 307 for seven on the scorecard, Indian bowlers bowled out South Africa for 177 runs with 58 balls to spare.

The defending champions posted an all-round performance in the match to register India's first victory against South Africa in the World Cup.

Skipper MS Dhoni won  a crucial toss and elected to bat first in their second group stage match of the World Cup.

Riding on opener Shikhar Dhawan's brilliant 137 runs, India recovered from the initial blow of losing the wicket of opener Rohit Sharma (0) early.

An attempt to take a quick single turned out to be futile as a miscommunication  between the two openers left Rohit run out in the third over of the match.

With just nine runs on the scorecard, Dhawan and Virat Kohli (46) took charge of re-building the innings as the duo added 127 runs in the second wicket partnership. Kohli smashed three boundaries in his knock before losing his wicket to Imran Tahir.

Ajinkya Rahane played a valuable knock of 79 runs, where he blasted some majestic shots and even joined Dhawan to add 125 runs in the third wicket partnership to help India move closer to 300-run mark.

Dhawan kept playing his natural shots all around the park and posted his first century in the World Cup. This was his second century against South Africa.

In his 137 runs innings, the opener hit 16 boundaries and two sixes.

In a bid to score runs fast, India lost some quick wickets at the end. MS Dhoni played a quick-fire knock of 11-ball 18, hammering three boundaries, to help his side reach the 300 runs mark.

Suresh Raina (6) and Ravindra Jadeja (2)  failed to contribute with their willows in the match.

R Ashwin (5*) and Mohammed Shami (4*) remained not out till the end as India posted 307 runs on the scoreboard.

Morne Morkel  picked up two wickets for South Africa.

India bowlers, who were struggling during the Test series against Australia and then in the tri-series, looked far more balanced and focused in this match.

Exerting pressure on South African batsmen, who struggled from the very beginning of their innings, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and R Ashwin bowled brilliantly and kept taking wickets at regular intervals.

Faf du Plessis top scored for South Africa with his 55.

After Quinton de Kock(7) departed, Hasim Amla (22) and Plessis added 28 runs, to give some hope to the South African fans. But Sharma got rid off Amla to give India their second breakthrough in the 11th over.

Plessis and skipper AB de Villiers (30) put up some resistance by adding 68 runs in the third wicket partnership. As the three-time semi-finalists tried to rebuild their innings, Sharma and Dhoni executed a brilliant run out to show  AB de Villiers the door towards the pavilion.

Plessis , JP Duminy (6) and David Miller (22) followed quickly as India took control of the match by getting rid of half the side by 32nd over.

Indian bowlers finished the match by 40.2 overs to script a memorable victory.

The Indian fielders put up a good show as they executed two run outs and took some good catches here.

R Ashwin finished with 3-41 while Shami and Sharma took two wickets each.

India had defeated Pakistan in their first match of the 2015 World Cup last Sunday.

Brief scorecard:

India 307-7 in 50 overs (S Dhawan137, A Rahane 79, V Kohli 46; M Morkel 2-59)

SA 177 allout 40.2 overs (F du Plessis 55; R Ashwin 3-41, MShami 2-30, M Sharma 2-31)