Karthik comes good

Dinesh Mongia © Getty Images

India claimed a six-wicket win over South Africa with a ball to spare in the Twenty20 international in Johannesburg.

Needing nine runs from the last over for victory, Dinesh Karthik smashed a six off the first ball, and three quick singles then got the job done.

India produced a more disciplined innings, in contrast to the often chaotic South Africa, who made 126 for eight.

On a pitch that was expected to favour the bowlers in the later stages, India kept their heads and their wickets to take some small consolation after losing the recent one-day series.

Sachin Tendulkar was the first man to go, bowled by Charl Langeveldt for 10 with the score on 17.

Dinesh Mongia and opener Virender Sehwag steered the score to 60 before the latter was run out after a misunderstanding over a quick single that was not there.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the only India batsman to fail to score, out for a duck when he played on to Langeveldt.

But that brought Karthik to the crease, and he set about closing in on the target alongside Mongia

They had reached 108 when Mongia was caught by Langeveldt off Robin Peterson for 38, but Karthik completed the job, with Suresh Raina contributing three.

South Africa had fought back from early struggles to post a challenging total.

The Proteas were 57 for four after 10 overs, but Albie Morkel and Johan van der Wath restored order with scores of 27 and 21 respectively.

That offered much-needed respite for South Africa after the top order failed.

Loots Bosman fell first, making just one before edging Zaheer Khan to Tendulkar at slip.

Herschelle Gibbs smashed a wide ball straight to Raina at short cover off the bowling of Ajit Agarkar, and captain Graeme Smith became Zaheer’s second victim when he was trapped lbw for 16.

South Africa were reduced to 41 for four when AB De Villiers edged Agarkar to Dhoni for just seven.

Justin Kemp contributed 22, the only other South African to reach double figures, while Agarkar returned figures of 2-10 off 2.3 overs and Zaheer 2-15 off four.