The big story: AB de Villiers scored the winning runs with just a ball to spare.

South Africa pulled off a thrilling win over New Zealand in the first ODI at Seddon Park on Sunday.

Chasing 208 to win, it was skipper AB de Villiers who hit the winning boundary to long on with a ball to spare handing South Africa a four-wicket win.

South Africa had restricted New Zealand to 207/7 after persistent rain reduced the game of 34 overs a side.

In their chase, South Africa looked in complete control with opener Quinton de Kock taking them past the 100-run mark in just under 18 overs.

He however fell for 69 with 125 on the board. The visitors saw as many as four wickets fall for just nine runs in the space of 14 balls.

De Villiers though hung around and took South Africa over the line for their 12th straight ODI victory.

Brief scores: New Zealand 207/7 (Kane Williamson 59; Chris Morris 4/62) lost to South Africa 210/6 (Quinton de Kock 69, AB de Villiers 37*; Time Southee 2/47) by 4 wickets.

Other top stories

Cricket

  • Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has pulled out of this year’s Indian Premier League season, ending his association with his franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore.
  • India’s women’s cricket team continued its unbeaten run at the ICC World Cup Qualifiers by advancing to the final with a seven-wicket victory over arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday.
  • Shreyas Iyer struck a career-best double century as India ‘A’ gave Australia solid fight on the third and final day of their tour game at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.
  • The Committee of Administrators, headed by former CAG Vinod Rai, on Sunday barred three top BCCI officials from attending the IPL players’ auction scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on Monday, PTI reported.
  • MS Dhoni stepped down as the captain of the Indian Premier League side Rising Pune Supergaints on Sunday. Australian skipper Steven Smith will take over the reigns for the upcoming season.
  • Asela Gunaratne steered Sri Lanka to a thrilling last-ball win over Australia in the second T20I on Sunday. Gunaratne’s unbeaten 84 held Sri Lanka’s innings together as they chased Australia’s target of 176.
  • In the Pakistan Super League, Kevin Pietersen smashed a brilliant unbeaten 88 and help his side chase down a target of 201 to guide his side, Quetta Gladiators, to a five-wicket over Lahore Qalandars. Meanwhile, Islamabad United prevailed in a cliffhanger to defeat Peshawar Zalmi by five wickets.
  • Veteran India pacer Ashish Nehra, who is a regular with the shortest format of the game, announced that he aimed to be a part of the 50-over side for the Champions Trophy in the summer, reported ESPNCricinfo.

Chess

  • Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli entered her third tiebreaker in as many rounds, while Padmini Rout also made it to the final day of the third round of World Women’s chess championship on Sunday.  

Football

  • Gareth Bale scored in his comeback game as Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-0 on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeau. Bale, who was out of action since November last year, scored the team’s second goal in the 83rd minute after Alvaro Morata had put them in the lead in the first half.
  • In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich had to rely on a a last-gasp equaliser from Robert Lewandowski against Hertha Berlin to stretch their lead at the top of the table to eight points. Borussia Dortmund posted a thumping 3-0 win against Wolfsburg.
  • Lincoln City became the first non-league team to reach the last eight of the FA Cup in 103 years after their shocking win over Burnley at Turf Moor. Chelsea ended Woverhampton Wanderers’ stubborn resistance to win 2-0 at the Molineux.
  • Milwall defeated Leicester City 1-0 in the FA Cup at the Den, but there were ugly scenes late in the game as hundreds of fans ran onto the pitch.
  • Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hinted that he could stay on at the North London club for another four more years, and that he has no intentions to retire at the end of the season.

Tennis

  • Karolina Pliskova posted a commanding 6-3, 6-4 win against former World No.1 Carloline Wozniaki to lift the Qatar Open.

Table Tennis

  • Japanese teenager Tomokazu Harimoto (13) ended Sharath Kamal’s impressive run at the ITTF World Tour India Open 11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-13, 11-9, 11-9  in the semi-finals.