Player of the Match
Player of the Match

8pm The victorious India team poses with the series trophy. Nikhil Kalro's report will tell you the full story of the day. This is Deivarayan Muthu and Alagappan Muthu signing off.

A reminder that viewers in the Indian subcontinent can catch all the highlights of this match here.

7.35pm Virat Kohli who has moved past AB de Villiers shakes hands with his good mate. He bossed the chase with his 35th ODI hundred and fourth of the tour. This win, however, was set up the bowlers. Thakur, playing his first game of the series, bagged four wickets and exposed South Africa's fragile middle order. The wristspinners - Kuldeep and Chahal - managed just three wickets between them but there would be no way back for South Africa. This despite Zondo's maiden international fifty on a slower-than-usual Centurion pitch. The margin of series defeat has thrown up questions about South Africa's depth. Can Markram hold his place when the big guns are back? Are Duminy and Miller still good enough? How does this shake up their 2019 World Cup plans?

WATCH - The Kohli straight drive to seal the series (Available in the Indian subcontinent).

Markram: It was quite a tough series. It's something we have to look back at it with a lot of thought and try to figure out why we weren't as good as we could be. They cashed in and that's where we lacked. It's how we grow and learn. We will try to take some positives. It's a nice break away from the format. It's not a bad thing for us.

Kohli, Man of the match and Man of the Series: It was a day where I felt really good. Last game, I was not in the right kind of mindset. This is a beautiful place to bat under lights. That's the idea behind bowling first. I like setting up for the short ball. It was a blessing in disguise, and they kept bowling short. I think the pitch got better to bat on under lights. It has been a rollercoaster till now. People who are close to me deserve a lot of credit. My wife has kept me going throughout the tour. I am grateful for that. Obviously, you want to lead from the front, and that's a wonderful feeling. I have got eight or nine years left in my career and I want to make the most of every day. It's a blessing that I am healthy and getting to captain my country. They have shown great character - especially the two young spinners. Shikhar at the top, Rohit. The way the series went augurs well for us. We're looking forward to the T20s. The tour is not over yet. As a team, we felt we did not play with the right frame of mind in the first two Tests. Come Johannesburg, we made up our mind that we will not take a backward step. After losing the Test series, I was talking to you. I am here taking to you after winning the ODI series.

32.1
4
Imran Tahir to Kohli, FOUR, There it is! India win the series 5-1. Tahir loops it full and outside off, Kohli sizes it up and crunnnnches a drive to the left of Tahir. He holds the pose. Regal shot. Regal innings. Regal chase

END OF OVER:
32 | 7 Runs | IND: 202/2 (3 runs required from 18 overs, RR: 6.31, RRR: 0.16)

  • Ajinkya Rahane34 (50b)
  • Virat Kohli125 (95b)
  • Lungi Ngidi8-1-54-2
  • Imran Tahir7-0-38-0
31.6
4
Ngidi to Rahane, FOUR, back of a length and outside off, Rahane manufactures more swinging room by jumping outside the leg stump. He wallops the ball through the covers

Sundar S: "I think Markram will hang on to his place when Faf gets back. But it is Duminy and Miller who need to be dropped. Duminy for sure. I believe his SA time is up."

31.5
1
Ngidi to Kohli, 1 run, tucked off the hips to the left of deep square leg
31.4
0
Ngidi to Kohli, no run, bouncer outside off, beats Kohli's hook
31.3
1
Ngidi to Rahane, 1 run, chest-high short ball on off, swatted to deep square leg's right
31.2
0
Ngidi to Rahane, no run, short, extra bounce, rushes Rahane into a hook. Miscued to mid-on
31.1
0
Ngidi to Rahane, no run, pitched up and outside off, driven to mid-off's left
31.1
1w
Ngidi to Rahane, 1 wide, very full and drifting down leg for a wide. Attempted slower ball gone wrong

India just 10 runs away from 5-1

END OF OVER:
31 | 15 Runs | IND: 195/2 (10 runs required from 19 overs, RR: 6.29, RRR: 0.52)

  • Virat Kohli124 (93b)
  • Ajinkya Rahane29 (46b)
  • Imran Tahir7-0-38-0
  • Lungi Ngidi7-1-47-2
30.6
0
Imran Tahir to Kohli, no run, speared outside off, belted to cover
30.5
6
Imran Tahir to Kohli, SIX, floated up on off, Kohli saunters down the track and launches it over the long-on boundary. Nice, smooth swing of the bat
30.4
6
Imran Tahir to Kohli, SIX, tossed outside off, Kohli stretches out and nails a slog-sweep over the midwicket boundary
30.3
2
Imran Tahir to Kohli, 2 runs, slides on outside off, Kohli employs the latest of late cuts to third man
30.2
1
Imran Tahir to Rahane, 1 run, shorter and turns in, this googly is punched to sweeper
30.1
0
Imran Tahir to Rahane, no run, back of a length on middle, patted past the right of the bowler to mid-on

Tanny: "Not sure what India as a team is gaining from today's victory. Imagine how it would have been if some other player would have got a chance and played half as good an innings"

END OF OVER:
30 | 6 Runs | IND: 180/2 (25 runs required from 20 overs, RR: 6.00, RRR: 1.25)

  • Ajinkya Rahane28 (44b)
  • Virat Kohli110 (89b)
  • Lungi Ngidi7-1-47-2
  • Imran Tahir6-0-23-0
29.6
1
Ngidi to Rahane, 1 run, back of a length and outside off, punched through the line to sweeper cover
29.5
1
Ngidi to Kohli, 1 run, low full-toss on middle, bunted to the left of mid-on

santosh battula: "It has been that kind of day for Kohli that even mishits are sailing for boundary.

29.4
4
Ngidi to Kohli, FOUR, bouncer outside off, Kohli can't control the pull and therefore sends a top edge over the keeper's head
29.3
0
Ngidi to Kohli, no run, short and outside off, pulled to midwicket

WATCH - Kohli celebrates his 35th ODI hundred (Available in the Indian subcontinent).

29.2
0
Ngidi to Kohli, no run, back of a length on middle, turned to midwicket
29.1
0
Ngidi to Kohli, no run, back of a length on off, solidly blocked back to the bowler

Ngidi

END OF OVER:
29 | 4 Runs | IND: 174/2 (31 runs required from 21 overs, RR: 6.00, RRR: 1.47)

  • Ajinkya Rahane27 (43b)
  • Virat Kohli105 (84b)
  • Imran Tahir6-0-23-0
  • Chris Morris6-0-36-0
28.6
0
Imran Tahir to Rahane, no run, good length on off, turned to leg
28.5
0
Imran Tahir to Rahane, no run, tossed on off, run away to point

Indian Rediff: "Cruising along toward the inevitable victory - they make it look so easy!"

28.4
1
Imran Tahir to Kohli, 1 run, full and straight, clipped through midwicket
  • Markram wasn't the right choice as captain - Graeme Smith

    Taking nothing away from the young captain, Graeme Smith said South Africa could have looked at JP Duminy, Hashim Amla or AB de Villiers to stand in as captain for the ODIs

  • In defeat, Markram remains optimistic about the future

    South Africa's young captain says he is richer for the experience gained in this series, and thinks the lopsided result will spur his team on and make future victories that much sweeter

  • Freed-up Kohli shows what he is truly capable of

    Earlier in the one-day series, the India captain batted according to the match situation, did just what his team needed. Now, with the result of the game holding little value, he had the licence to let himself go, and boy did he put on a show

  • Markram braces for another trial in captaincy run

    Before the ODI series began, Aiden Markram wasn't even sure of a place in the side, but in the span of five matches, he has gone from being touted a future captain to now battling for a permanent spot after SA return to full strength

  • Back to Centurion, but for a dead rubber

    The game will be a chance to rest players like Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada although South Africa should be more desperate for a face-saving win than India's quest for 5-1

Kohli's series

558

Runs for Kohli in this series, the most for any batsman in a bilateral ODI series. He is also the first to score over 500 runs in a bilateral series. Previous highest was 491 by Rohit Sharma v Aus in 2013-14 series.

Thakur triumphs

1

Shardul Thakur is the first India fast bowler to take a 3-wicket haul in this series. The spinners have taken six 3-fors.

AB fails

2008

Last time AB de Villiers failed to make a 50+ score in a bilateral ODI series playing 3 or more matches, which was against England. In this series he has made scores of 26, 6 and 30.

Lucky Toss again

118

Score at which South Africa were dismissed in the second ODI of this series that was played in Centurion, after India had won the toss and put the hosts to bat first. The visitors have won the toss again in this Centurion ODI and chose to field.