DURBAN, Sept 20: Rohit Sharma and Mahendra Singh Dhoni propped up India's total of 153 for five in the vital Twenty20 World Cup Super Eights Group E match against South Africa on Thursday.

Sharma scored an unbeaten 50 and Dhoni made 45 in a stand of 85 for the fifth wicket.

India, who won the toss and chose to bat, needed rescuing after they lost their first three wickets for one run in the space of four balls in dwindling to 33 for three in the sixth over.

Veteran paceman Shaun Pollock struck twice in that period to take two for 17 in his unbroken spell of four overs.

India suffered a setback when Yuvraj Singh, who became the first player to hit six sixes in an over in Twenty20 matches in India's win over England on Wednesday, was ruled out with an elbow injury. Yuvraj was replaced by Dinesh Karthik.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

G. Gambhir c Smith b Pollock 19

V. Sehwag c Boucher b Ntini 11

K.D. Karthik c J.A. Morkel b Pollock 0

R.V. Uthappa c Smith b M. Morkel 15

R.P. Sharma not out 50

M.S. Dhoni run out 45

Irfan Pathan not out 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-2, W-8, NB-1) 13

TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 153

FALL OF WKTS: 1-32, 2-33, 3-33, 4-61, 5-146.

DID NOT BAT: Harbhajan Singh, Joginder Sharma, R.P. Singh, S. Sreesanth.

BOWLING: Pollock 4-0-17-2; Ntini 4-0-30-1 (2w); van der Wath 4-0-43-0; M. Morkel 4-0-32-1 (1nb); Philander 2-0-14-0 (2w); J.A. Morkel 2-0-13-0.

SOUTH AFRICA: G.C. Smith, H.H. Gibbs, A.B. de Villiers, J.M. Kemp, M.V. Boucher, S.M. Pollock, V.D. Philander, J.A. Morkel, J.J. van der Wath, M. Morkel, M. Ntini.

UMPIRES: B.R. Doctrove (West Indies) and S.J.A. Taufel (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: S.J. Davis (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...