Rohit breaks ODI sixes record as India beat South Africa

Ranchi’s first international day, one-day

India 349-8: Kohli 135 (120), Rahul 60 (56), Baartman 2-60

South Africa 332 all out: Breetzke 72, Jansen 70, Kuldeep 4-68

India defeated 17 runs to win.

In the first game of their series in Ranchi, India defeated South Africa by 17 runs to claim the most sixes in men’s one-day internationals, according to Rohit Sharma.

Virat Kohli hit a record-extending 52nd ODI century with a brilliantly paced 135 off 120 balls after being asked to bat for India, which ended up 349-8.

For the second wicket, he and Rohit made 136 runs out of 51 balls.

Shahid Afridi’s 15-year record of 351 ODI maximums was broken by Rohit, who already held the record for the most sixes in international cricket (now 642) with three sixes.

When the former captain was fired, India were 161-2 in the 22nd over, and Kohli brilliantly handled the hosts’ run-scoring.

He also hit 60 off 56 balls while standing-in captain KL Rahul, who then assumed his role after Kohli was dismissed, and he also scored 76.

South Africa fell to 11-3 in reply and 130-5, but a 97-run stand from Matthew Breetzke and Marco Jansen gave them hope.

Kuldeep Yadav sent both runners-up in the 34th over, giving South Africa a 228-7 defeat.

Corbin Bosch, who had 67 off 51 balls, and Prenelan Subrayen and Nandre Burger, who both had 17, gave the Proteas 37 from 18 balls.

Bosch skied the second ball from Prasidh Krishna to cover the final inning, farming the strike and turning down singles.