India beat South Africa in second test to share series

India chased down a modest victory target of 79 to claim a seven-wicket win over hosts South Africa in the second test at Newlands on Thursday and share the two-match series 1-1.

Seamer Jasprit Bumrah took 6-61 to bowl South Africa out for 176 in their second innings on the stroke of lunch on the second day, before the visitors came out swinging and completed the win in 12 overs as they reached 80 for three.

Rohit Sharma finished not out on 16 and Shreyas Iyer on 4, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (28), Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12) being the other wickets to fall.

There will be plenty of scrutiny of the Newlands pitch, with the match completed in 642 balls, the shortest-ever test in which there has been a winner, beating Australia’s 656-ball victory over South Africa in 1932.

South Africa, who won the toss and elected to bat, will look back on a desperately poor first innings in which they were bowled out for 55 on a record-breaking opening day.

They gave themselves a fighting chance by dismissing India for 153 when the visitors lost six wickets for the addition of no runs, the first time that has happened in 147 years of tests.

But India seamer Jasprit Bumrah took 6-61 as the tourists bowled South Africa out in their second innings for 176 on the stroke of lunch on the second day to set up the win.

Bumrah bowled a superb probing line but also profited from poor shot selection from the home batters, who seemed in a hurry to score runs on the tricky wicket.

South Africa opener Aiden Markram scored a quick-fire 106 as he defied the conditions but lost partners at regular intervals, which forced him to try his hand.

Markram raced to his century in 99 balls but played one big shot too many as he skied a Mohammed Siraj delivery to Rohit Sharma at mid-off to end an innings of 17 fours and two sixes.