LIVE: India win by 8 wickets to take series 5-1

After a historic ODI series win the rainbow nation, Indian skipper Virat Kohli is likely to put his bench strength to Test when they lock horns with South Africa in Centurion on Friday while the hosts will look to avoid further humiliation by winning the final encounter of the six-match rubber.

Live scorecard, India vs South Africa, 6th ODI, Centurion

India win by 8 wickets

That's it, India win by 8 wickets and 107 balls to spare to make it 5-1. Hosts South Afria have received a total pounding again.

Century No. 35

#SAvsIND: Virat 'RUN MACHINE' Kohli scores his 3⃣5⃣th ODI hundred off just 82 balls, is there anyone who can match this player in world cricket? pic.twitter.com/pLvfwFRFSX

— Wah Cricket (@ABPCricketHindi) February 16, 2018

A World Record for Kohli

Virat Kohli with 501 runs so far, becomes the highest scorer in a bilateral series in ODI history, beats Rohit Sharma's tally of 491 runs. The India captain is batting on 72 now, he has already scored 2 hundreds in this series. 

Just another day in the office 

#SAvsIND: ODI fifty No. 47 for Virat Kohli and he gets there with a fantastic straight drive. #IND: 106/2 pic.twitter.com/NUbV3S2WVc

— Wah Cricket (@ABPCricketHindi) February 16, 2018

Dhawan falls

Straight to Zondo! Ngidi strikes again... It was hit really hard but straight to the man and Dhawan wears a smile as he starts to walk back. A bit short and width on offer too. Shikhar slaps it ferociously but fails to keep it down. It travels quickly towards Khaya Zondo at backward point who makes it look so easy. End of a cracking stand between the two and India need another 125.

India get to fifty in 7.5 overs

Ngidi is not learning at all. Another short delivery meets with a Kohli pull shot and races away between square leg and mid-wicket for consecutive fours for the Indian captain. That also brings up India's fifty. The early loss of Rohit has had little affect on Kohli and Dhawan.

Kohli dropped?

That burst through Phehlukwayo's hands at short-fine leg.The short ball plan almost worked for South Africa and Ngidi. But that was way too fast for the tall all-rounder, the ball flew over just before he stretched his hands and Kohli gets a four. That should not be counted as a drop catch.

Rohit departs

Off the gloves and Rohit Sharma perishes! An action replay of Amla's dismissal, kicking off the deck but the line is around the leg stump, Rohit, who is too good a puller tries to go after this with his one leg up in the air. Extra bounce of the surface means that he fails to get the desired connection as the ball lobs off the gloves towards the left of the keeper where Klaasen pouches it safely. Centurion in the previous game departs cheaply at Centurion.

South Africa innings round-up

The seamers outdid the spinners for the first time as India displayed another  bowling performance, led by Shardul Thakur (4/52) to bowl out South Africa for 204. Virat Kohli mentioned at toss-time that Thakur is an exciting prospect and he wanted to have a look at him at these conditions and the Mumbai seamer has not disappointed his captain. He did err in lengnth on a few occasions but he was largely impressive with his pace and line. Bumrah and Pandya also chipped in with three wickets among them, making it seven in the match for the semars - the most in the series for India.

Yet another disappointing batting show by the Proteas! A number of their batters got a start but none of them really kicked on to go and get a big one. They adopted a cautious approach up front but still lost both the openers inside the Powerplay. The pair of AB de Villiers and Khaya Zondo batted with fluency and constructed a 62-run partnership in quick time. But once the former departed, it all went pear shaped for the hosts. Khaya Zondo went into a shell and the batsmen coming in were not able to rotate the strike enough. Pressure mounted and it resulted in more wickets.

Four-for for Thakur

Caught and bowled! Four-fer for Thakur! He bowls a length ball on middle, it holds up a bit onto the batsman who offers a straight bat. Ends up pushing it uppishly towards the bowler who dives to his right to take an excellent catch. SOUTH AFRICA BUNDLED OUT FOR 204!

Phehlukwayo arrives

Two huge hits, two huge sixes from Phehlukwayo. With partners running out, he has decided to take the onus on himself to take South Africa to a respactable total. 

Bumrah gets Tahir

Another good low catch by the Indian captain at short cover and guess what it's Jasprit Bumrah again. Tahir completely foxed by the slower one, hangs back way too much for liking and scoops it in the air towards the cover region. nine down, one to go for India.

Pandya comes back with a wicket

One shot too many from Morkel. This had to happen, the way he was going. Clears his front leg, tries to clear the field but only manages as far as the deep cover fielder. Iyer was waiting patiently to pouch an easy catch. An entertaining innings never the less from the big fast bowler, 20 off 19. SA are eight down for 187

Morkel on the charge

Morne Morkel is having fun. Receives one full ball in his half, winds up for a big shot and hammers it over mid-wicket for a biggie. He is ruining Pandya's figures a little here.

Zondo falls for 54

Khaya Zondo departs after playing a knock which will do good to his career not that much good to his team. South Africa needed him to last the distance. Another inside-out shot attempted by him, last time he went over extra cover but this time it's a bit squarer. Finds the fielder in the deep cover region and Hardik Pandya makes no mistake. Can they last 50 overs?

Kuldeep foxes Morris

Up in the air and taken! Morris knew it as soon as he hit it. He did not pick the wrong one from Kuldeep, went for a huge heave over long on, got a top edge and Dhawan at long-off made no mistake. He even celebrated with a Kabaddi tap to his thighs.

Another screamer, this time from Bumrah

A one-handed screamer from Bumrah at thirdman. Behardien's eyes light up after seeing a short and wide delivery from Thakur, he goes for the cut, ends up getting it high on the bat and Bumrah at third man runs to his left, sticks out his right hand to hang to a splendid catch. South Africa have lost half their side and Thakur has three.

A fine catch from Kohli

You just cannot keep Virat Kohli out of the game. A fine low catch by the Indian captain and he sends out a quiet little signal to Klaasen, just so Kohli. A pitched up delivery from Bumrah, Klaasen (22) goes for the boomig drive, connects well but doesn't get the gap. Kohli at short cover, crouches low and hangs to a brilliant catch. Another South African batsman departs after getting a start. SA: 135/4

de Villiers is OUT

BOWLED! leg stump goes for a walk. A flatter delivery from Chahal, AB doesn't pick it , tries to give himself room, ends up giving way too much and has his leg stump is pegged back. A huge wicket for India, de Villiers is a big wicket at any stage of the game and now the inexperienced South African middle order is exposed to the Indian wrist spinners.

SIX! SIX

That review spurred Zondo up. He rocks back to pull Chahal over the mid-wicket boundary for not one but two huge sixes, the second one a carbon copy of the first. The balls were not short but short enough for Zondo to use the depth of the crease to good effect. The little man means business today. 

Zondo survives

No need to go for the hawk-eye, the snicko suggests Zondo has got a little glove before it thudded onto his pads, there is good a enough spike for the third umpire to ask Aleem Dar to reverse his decision to not out.

Mbangwa in the commentary box thinks its going to miss the off but umpire Aleem Dar raises his finger immediately. Zondo walks over for a chat with de Villiers and yes, they have gone for the review. It was too full to go for the sweep, an error of judgment from Khaya Zondo and that's all it needed for Chahal to sneak it through to hit his pads. 

Thakur takes sweet revenge

Thakur has the last laugh, two Mumbaikars - Thakur and Iyer combine to give India their second wicket and it's the important one of the South African captain Markram, who was showing ominous signs. He will be disappointed, has thrown it away again after a promising start. Tries to play an uppish drivbe off a slower delivery but does not get the desired connection, Iyer at cover, takes a good catch. SA: 43/2

A six for the snappers

Stand up and admire! A picture perfect pull shot from Aiden Markam. Shardul once again pitches it short and Markram rocks back quickly and whips it over the square-leg boundary for the first six of the match. That' s one way to send a signal to the oppsition.

First bowlig change for India, it's Hardik Pandya, who surprisingly replaces Jaspirt Bumrah after the slinga bowled a superb first four overs.

Huge roar from the crowd as Mr. 360, AB de Villiers gets a promotion to No. 3. Expect some fireworks now.

Thakur strikes

OUT! Caught down the the leg side. Shardul Thakur strikes for India, extra bouce the key here. Amla (10) was cramped for room as he tries to fend it off his body but ends up getting a faint tickle to Dhoni behind the wicket and India have got their first wicket of the afternoon. SA: 22/1

Couple of fours to start with

Great start from Markram, exactly the oppsite from Thakur. He errs in length on both occasions, pitches it short outside off and Markram was up and ready, punches it past the inner ring of fielders for consecutive fours. The youngster has been put under pressure straight away. SA: 8/0

Shardul Thakur has the new ball in hand. Big opprtunity for him, replacing India's premiere new ball bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Here come the South African openers - Aiden Markram and Hashim Amla. There is the South African pride at stake in this dead rubber and these two openers have a huge role to play in maintaining that pride.

South Africa (Playing XI): Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram(c), AB de Villiers, Khaya Zondo, Farhaan Behardien, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Lungisani Ngidi

India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni(w), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Team News: Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been rested and young Shardul Thakur gets a game. 

Four changes for South Africa, Morris back in the team along with Behardein, Tahir, Zondo. Well, that was not expected at all. Instead of India, South Africa have gone in with a host of changes.

Toss: India wins the toss and opts to bowl first.

Welcome to the live coverage of the sixth and final ODI between India and South Africa and Centurion.

Preview

After a historic ODI series win the rainbow nation, Indian skipper Virat Kohli is likely to put his bench strength to Test when they lock horns with South Africa in Centurion on Friday while the hosts will look to avoid further humiliation by winning the final encounter of the six-match rubber.

With India already having an unassailable 4-1 lead with victories in Durban Centurion, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, their only loss came in Johannesburg in the fourth ODI in a rain-truncated affair.

Having won the ODI series, Virat Kohli & Co. have toppled South Africa from the top spot of the ICC ranking. The tourists are now the table leaders in both – Test and ODI cricket

India would like to carry on momentum, especially with the three-match T20I series to follow soon after. Yet, the visitors would also like to find a balance between going all out in a dead rubber and resting a few players keeping in mind a long overseas schedule later this year.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has nearly played non-stop since the limited-overs leg of the tour of Sri Lanka, featuring in 19 ODIs and six T20Is as well as two Tests on this tour.  Jasprit Bumrah to has played 20 ODIs since that Lanka tour, along with eight T20Is and his workload has only increased given that he played the Test series here as well. Some rest will do both of them some good especially ahead of the next contest.

Alternately, India's second line of pace attack needs some attention. Since that Sri Lanka tour, the Men in Blue have played 20 ODIs and the Kumar-Bumrah duo has not featured together in only one of them -- at Bengaluru against Australia.

One way to look at this is the splendid job they have done as the foremost new-ball pairing in limited-overs' cricket.

The other way, of course, is that Team India is too dependent on them and should look to build backup options, given the preparatory mode for the 2019 World Cup.

Mohammed Shami has only played three ODIs since the 2015 World Cup. Ever since he returned from injury, he has featured twice against West Indies (2017) and then once against Australia.

Shardul Thakur, the fourth pacer in this current squad, has only ever played in two ODIs. It suffices to say that India currently do not have a reliable second-choice pace attack and despite the success of Kumar-Bumrah combination, this aspect needs urgent attention.

The middle-order continues to be another area of focus. There has only been one half-century contributed from Nos. 4-7 in this series. After Ajinkya Rahane's effort in Durban, only MS Dhoni came close at the Wanderers when he played the situation with 42 not out off 43 balls.

Shreyas Iyer has got starts in both the matches he has played but failed to capitalise. Rahane too has fizzled out since his comeback at No.4. Hardik Pandya has scored 26 runs in four innings in this ODI series. The slow nature of pitches is one of the reasons being attributed to this downturn.

With the top-order doing well and essentially eating out 30-35 overs in every game, the middle-order has been forced to bat in high gear most of the time.

It also needs to be mentioned that South Africa's death bowling is seen to be their only high point of the series so far.

Either way, the Indian think-tank needs to pay more attention to their middle-order woes. Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik are in the squad yet it is tough to see both of them get a game here.

The Indian team opted not to train today, taking this pre-match day off, on what has been a long and hectic tour.

South Africa, on the other hand, would want to finish this ODI series on a high and take fresh guard for the Twenty20 International series, which gets underway on February 18.

A clutch of their first-choice bowlers have been rested ahead of Australia’s tour here, and it is the last bow for the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi against India on this trip. They will be keen to make an impression.

It remains to be seen if the Supersport Park pitch plays any different from how it did in the previous game here, which India won by nine wickets in rampant fashion.