Under the lights in Ranchi, Harshit Rana’s crucial opening spell helped India defeat South Africa in the first ODI of the three-match series. Well known for bowling the heavy ball, Rana slightly altered his template at the JSCA Stadium on Sunday, November 30, and that subtle shift caused South Africa a heap of trouble in the opening phase of their chase.
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Defending a total of 349 runs, Rana produced a dream first over, removing Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock in the space of three balls. That over was arguably the best of his senior career, second only to the memorable sequence he bowled to Heinrich Klaasen during Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning IPL 2024 campaign.
IND vs SA 1st ODI: Highlights
Rana’s mastery on Sunday lay in his ability to judge the length perfectly.
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