IND vs SA Review: The hosts continue their dominant run in the World Cup
The 37h match of the ongoing ODI World Cup was played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata where India and South Africa faced off each other and the Indian juggernaut rolled on as the team extended their winning streak to eight.
India won the toss and elected to bat first, getting off to a fantastic start. Captain Rohit Sharma led the charge and scoring a quickfire 40 off 24 balls. However, Kagiso Rabada dismissed him in the sixth over.
Despite losing Shubman Gill early, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer built a strong partnership of 134 runs for the third wicket. Shreyas was eventually dismissed after scoring 77 off 87 balls with seven fours and two sixes. But, Kohli remained at the crease and went on to score his 49th ODI century, equaling the mighty Sachin Tendulkar’s record. Their contributions helped India reach a formidable total of 326. Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja also played some big shots towards the end to contribute to the score.
Chasing the target, South Africa struggled under the pressure of a massive chase. They lost wickets at regular intervals, with Mohammad Siraj dismissing Quinton de Kock early on. None of their batters could make a significant contribution. Jadeja emerged as the standout performer with the ball, taking five wickets to crush South Africa with his pinpoint accuracy. At the end, India won the match by a huge margin of 243 runs.
Top Performers of the Match
Virat Kohli (101 of 121)
Virat Kohli’s inning was quite impressive as he showcased his class and skill on a difficult pitch where the spinners were getting significant turn. His partnership with Iyer was crucial in India’s victory, and he smashed ten fours in his 49th ODI century.
Ravindra Jadeja (5/33, 9 overs)
Ravindra Jadeja’s accuracy, pace, bounce, and turn proved too much for the South African batters to handle. He took five crucial wickets, derailing their chase and emerged as the best bowler of the match.
What next?
Going ahead, India will play against the Netherlands on November 12. While, South Africa will take on Afghanistan on November 10.
