Sharma butchers SA attack with maiden T20 ton, India 199/5

Opener Rohit Sharma butchered South African bowling attack effortlessly en route to his maiden Twenty20 International century as India rattled up a challenging 199 for five in the first cricket match here today.
Sharma was slow to start but once he had gauged the pace of the wicket, he plundered runs at will and became only the second Indian to score a T20 International hundred after Suresh Raina.
His sensational 66-ball knock was packed with 12 fours and five sixes as he sent visiting bowlers on a leatherhunt after India were invited to bat at the scenic HPCA stadium.
Sharma scored runs effortlessly and raised a 138-run partnership for the second wicket with skipper Virat Kohli (43 off 27 balls), who became the first Indian to complete 1000 runs in Twenty20 cricket during his cameo.

Sharma, who was timing the ball beautifully, completed his hundred with a breathtaking six off paceman Merchant de Lange. His fifty came off 40 balls and needed only 22 more balls to get to the three-figure mark.
Kyle Abbott stemmed the rot by dismissing Kohli first and then Sharma in the space of four balls. The Indian opener went for a pull but managed an edge which was taken by Morris at long leg. By that time, India were cruising with scorecard reading 162 in 16 overs.

India lost Raina (14) and Ambati Rayudu (0, run out) in the 19th over but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (20 not out) helped India get close to 200. He finished the innings in style, hammering Abbott for a six.

The quick dismissal of Sharma and Kohli did affect India's run rate as the hosts managed just 37 runs from the last four overs.
Abbott was the only South African bowler who managed a respectable figure as he gave away just 29 runs in his four overs.
The dew on the ground did make it tough for the bowlers but Sharma was in sublime form as he reduced the South African attack to a pedestrian one.