Unruffled India beat S Africa by six wickets

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 1 (Reuters) Steady batting by Dinesh Mongia and Dinesh Karthik today guided India to a six-wicket victory over South Africa in their inaugural Twenty20 game.

India restricted South Africa to 126 for nine and replied with 127 for four to win with a ball to spare.

Mongia hit four fours and a six in his 38, and Karthik scored his 31 not out off 28 balls.

Karthik and Mongia shared 37 runs for the fourth wicket, but Mongia's dismissal left India needing 19 runs off the last 15 balls of the game.

Karthik struck a crucial blow when he swept the first ball of the final over, bowled by left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, over mid-wicket for six.

Indian fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar earlier took two wickets apiece to limit South Africa to their modest total in helpful bowling conditions.

The South Africans struggled to settle at the crease with Albie Morkel top scoring with 27, which included three sixes.

Morkel's innings helped South Africa recover after they had slumped to 64 for five in the 12th over.

REUTERS SBA BST0144