At the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Tuesday, spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Washington Sundar collectively shared eight wickets to bowl out South Africa for just 99 and lay the groundwork for India's convincing seven-wicket victory in the ODI series finale.
After a 30-minute delay brought on by a wet outfield, captain Shikhar Dhawan's choice to bowl first was supported by Kuldeep (4-18), Shahbaz (2-32) and Washington (2-15), who spun a cruel web on a pitch that had moisture and made batting challenging.
South Africa's lowest ODI score against India came when the spin trio absolutely outplayed them and bowled them out for just 99 in 27.1 overs thanks to Mohammed Siraj's 2-17 and the spin trio. The visitors lost their final six wickets for 33 runs, making it the lowest ODI score ever at this ground.
The chase was subsequently finished in 19.1 overs by Shubman Gill (49) and Shreyas Iyer (28 not out), giving India their fifth consecutive ODI series victory this year.
When Quinton de Kock chopped sharply and gave a straightforward catch to the short third man in the third over, India's decision to open the bowling with Washington proved fruitful.
With a smooth cover drive for four off Siraj, Janneman Malan got things rolling. Malan danced down the pitch in his subsequent over by pulling a simple short ball through square leg for another four runs. By leaning into the drive off Siraj, his third four of the day, through additional cover, he raised the calibre of his magnificent shots.
Malan attempted to draw another quick short ball by Siraj from off-stump on the very next ball, but his attempt top-edged to deep square-leg. At the end of the power play, Reeza Hendricks, who was having trouble, attempted to block a bouncer from Siraj but was caught by short third man on the second try.
Aiden Markram was pushed forward to drive a flighted ball from Shahbaz after India's bowlers kept a tight rein on South Africa's hitters after the power play. Markram could only send a small edge behind to the keeper as the ball dropped.
The substitute captain for South Africa, David Miller, was bowled through the gate in the 19th over with a faster delivery from Washington coming from around the wicket. With his googly spinning in the following over, Kuldeep crammed Andile Phehlukwayo for space before taking the inner edge to hit the stumps.
After the power play, India's bowlers maintained a firm grip on South Africa's hitters, which caused Aiden Markram to move forward to drive a flighted ball from Shahbaz. Markram could only send the goalie a small edge behind as the ball dropped.
In the 19th over, a faster delivery from Washington coming from around the wicket caused more difficulties for South Africa when acting captain David Miller was bowled through the gate. In the subsequent over, Andile Phehlukwayo was confined by Kuldeep's googly turning in and was struck on the inner edge of the stumps.
For South Africa, Heinrich Klaasen was fighting alone. He began by scooping Shahbaz over fine leg and pulling on the backfoot through mid-wicket for a pair of fours. Then quickly cutting Washington through the cover, Klaasen obtained four more.
For his fourth boundary, Klaasen sliced Shahbaz past the backward point while attempting to make space for a further cut. However, the left-arm spinner was able to get the ball to grip, bounce, and turn just enough to hit the stumps.
Then, in the 26th over, Kuldeep bowled back-to-back deliveries that shook Anrich Nortje's off-stump and trapped Bjorn Fortuin leg before wicket. He put a stop to South Africa's suffering when Marco Jansen slog-swept to a deep backward square leg, which was fitting.
In the first over of the chase, Gill switched his aggressive mentality by pulling the keeper for four. Shikhar Dhawan made his debut in the subsequent over against Ngidi with a smooth drive through extra cover for four. Gill surprised the crowd with a well executed on-drive off Ngidi, beating mid-on to pick another four, after cutting Jansen beyond the slip cordon.
Gill comfortably advanced past cover after Jansen dropped short, then executed the short-arm jab through mid-wicket with style to capture a pair of fours. Gill's timing was impeccable once again as he expertly placed Nortje's pull for four wide of midwicket.
But Dhawan was run out for eight runs as a result of an error on the first ball of the seventh over. Before Fortuin was able to turn in and take a razor-thin edge behind to the keeper, Ishan Kishan unleashed vicious fours through point and square leg.
Iyer joined the boundary-pushing group by hitting Fortuin for a pair of strong fours that were hit directly to the ground. While Iyer ramped wide of the keeper to grab another four and put India on the verge of winning the series, Gill hit two more fours, including a crisp drive through the gap at extra cover.
Even though Ngidi's lbw catch of Gill gave India the series victory, Iyer finished off the chase with a six that smashed into the ground.
Brief scores: South Africa 99 all out in 27.1 overs (Heinrich Klassen 34, Janneman Malan 15; Kuldeep Yadav 4-18, Washington Sundar 2-15) lost to India 105/3 in 19.1 overs (Shubman Gill 49, Shreyas Iyer 28 not out, Bjorn Fortuin 1-20, Lungi Ngidi 1-21) by seven wickets