South Africa's cricket team
- SA 55 & 176; India 153 & 80-3. India wins by seven wickets
- The series ends 1-1 after 642 balls, two-day second Test
PA Media
India claimed their quickest victory in Test history and leveled their two-match series against South Africa by winning in Cape Town early on the second afternoon. The tourists posted a fourth innings total of 79 in 12 overs at Newlands on Thursday and finished the game, which was due to end on Sunday evening, with 642 balls to spare.
It is the shortest Test victory in terms of number of tosses bowled and a reduction of 14 from a record that has stood since 1932, when South Africa were also on the losing side against Australia in Melbourne.
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Over the course of just over four sessions, a wicket fell on average less than every 20 balls. The Proteas, who had won well in a hard-fought opening Test in Centurion, were dismissed for 55 on the first morning and only improved to 176 thanks to a solo effort from Aiden Markram, who made 106 with his back against the wall – the next best South African Rating was 12 by his fellow opener Dean Elgar.
Markram's shot was certainly the standout strike in a breakneck encounter as he occupied the crease for 164 minutes and saved 103 balls. Without further resistance, Jasprit Bumrah scored six for 61 in 13.5 overs.
India started chasing after lunch and wasted no time. They lost three wickets along the way – Yashavi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli – but made up 52 in boundaries, ensuring an unprecedentedly quick finish.
Questions will certainly be asked about the condition of the pitch, with match officials having to decide whether the game's unusual shortness was due to a series of hitting errors or a poor surface.
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