India’s Jasprit Bumrah celebrates a wicket against South Africa. Esa Alexander/Reuters CNN —
For the uninitiated the idea of playing a Test cricket match over five days and that the result might end up as a draw can sometimes be hard to fathom.
On Thursday, India accelerated this format of cricket – and then some – by defeating South Africa by seven wickets in the shortest completed Test match ever, requiring less than two days to secure victory.
The match has become the shortest decided game in terms of overs bowled in the history of Test cricket.
Just 107 overs were bowled across the four innings in the match held at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa.
On a remarkable first day of action on Wednesday, 23 wickets fell as South Africa was bowled out for just 55 runs before toppling India for 153. India lost its final six wickets for no runs in a remarkable collapse.
South Africa then returned to the crease to start its second innings and ended the opening day on 62-3.
India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal plays a drive. Esa Alexander/Reuters
Day two on Thursday saw more of the same despite the Proteas’ Aiden Markram’s valiant effort to stem the flow of wickets falling. Markram scored a remarkable 106 from just 103 balls with the team’s next highest score just 12 runs.
South Africa eventually fell for 176, leaving India with a modest 79-run target to win the match. The touring side chased down its target in just 12 overs, finishing on 80-3 to level the series 1-1.
The Test match has now displaced the 1932 game between Australia and South Africa as the shortest Test of all time, per ESPNCricinfo stats.