In 2011, the one match India misplaced was in opposition to South Africa, when an unheralded Robin Peterson scored 19 runs off Ashish Nehra after India’s batting collapsed in Nagpur, regardless of a century from Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli and Ashwin are the one gamers within the present squad who had been a part of India’s title-winning run in 2011.
India, at the moment undefeated, have the chance to safe the highest spot with a win and 16 factors. Nonetheless, they should guard in opposition to complacency and goal to emulate the all-conquering Australian staff of 2007, which gained the World Cup with out shedding a single sport. A win would affirm India’s prime spot with one match left in opposition to the Netherlands.
Alternatively, South Africa’s robust batting lineup, filled with power-hitters and game-changers, poses a formidable problem to India’s tempo assault. This conflict is essential in figuring out the group toppers heading into the semi-finals.
South Africa’s constant excessive scores on this World Cup have been a problem for bowlers. They posted the event’s highest rating of 428/5 in opposition to Sri Lanka of their opening match, and in all 5 matches the place they batted first, they achieved 300-plus totals. Quinton de Kock leads the run-chart with 545 runs from seven matches.
The Proteas’ solely weak point has been chasing, as witnessed of their defeat to the Netherlands once they had been bundled out for 207 whereas chasing 245. South Africa could be cautious of batting second as a result of dew and would favor to set a goal.
India, alternatively, have proven their capability to chase and defend successfully. With dew round, chasing could be simpler on the Eden Gardens, however South Africa will probably be trying to go all out and set an enormous goal.
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami‘s stellar kind has made a major impression on the staff following Hardik Pandya‘s harm. Since being launched to the World Cup squad, Shami has taken 14 wickets in three matches at a mean of 6.71. The constant size and late motion in Shami’s deliveries have made India’s tempo assault formidable.
Jasprit Bumrah has additionally added a menacing slower yorker to his arsenal, whereas Mohammed Siraj’s early help with the brand new ball has been essential. The duo has taken 10 wickets every within the powerplay, making India probably the most economical staff throughout this part.
The battle between Shami and Bumrah in opposition to in-form gamers like Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen, who’ve scored six centuries between them on this World Cup, will probably be intriguing.
Moreover, the competition between Heinrich Klaasen, recognized for his aggression in opposition to spin, and Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja is one other compelling side.
With India’s robust batting lineup that includes Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who is understood for his spectacular performances on the Eden Gardens, the stage is about for an exciting encounter.
Kohli, one century away from his forty ninth ODI hundred, could be keen to attain this milestone on his thirty fifth birthday. Rohit Sharma, additionally aiming to attain huge runs after a low rating within the final match, will probably be a key participant for the staff.
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Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav and Prasidh Krishna.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen and Lizaad Williams.
Match begins: 2 pm IST.
(With inputs from PTI)
