The unbeatable journey of India in the ICC World Cup 2023 will be challenged by another strong team in South Africa. It is going to be a fight to establish supremacy over one another. India will be looking forward to maintaining the invincible streak by winning eight out of eight matches. For South Africa, this is a golden opportunity to get an early entry into the semi-finals and crush India’s momentum. (Match Blog | Streaming | Full Coverage)
India have shown mastery across divisions throughout the tournament. Each department of the team is playing in sync with one another. They defeated Sri Lanka in the previous match with a record 302 runs and will be chasing the South Africans with the same strategy. The playing eleven of team India has shown the capability of winning in almost every situation and will be looking to prove the same one more time in Kolkata on Sunday.
South Africa are also in a prime position to qualify for the knockouts, with their playing XI in form. They defeated New Zealand in the last match by a huge margin of 190 runs, boosting their morale in time for the India clash. South Africa need just one win and, by defeating India, they will not only get the ticket to the semi-finals but also prove themselves to be a strong contender for the title.
Following are the three key battles that can change the fate of their teams in the IND Vs RSA game:
Quinton de Kock Vs Mohammad Shami
Quinton de Kock, a left-handed batsman, has turned out to be the leading run-scorer in the tournament. He has scored 545 runs in seven innings which consists of four centuries. De Kock stunned New Zealand in his last innings by hitting a whopping 114 runs. It will be an amazing clash between him and Mohammad Shami, who has taken 14 wickets in just three innings and can give him tough competition.
Jasprit Bumrah Vs Aiden Markram
Right-handed Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be challenging South African right-handed batsman Aiden Markram on Sunday. Bumrah is known for tricking their opponent with his deliveries and has successfully uprooted 15 wickets in seven matches. Makram is a tough nut to crack and has scored 362 runs in seven innings. Their face-off is going to light the atmosphere in the stadium when one will prevail over the other.
Virat Kohli Vs Marco Jansen
Virat Kohli's class has shown match after match in this World Cup. He has scored 442 runs in seven innings, playing a big role in India’s win. He missed the century in the last match by 12 runs and will be looking forward to matching Sachin Tendulkar’s 49-ton record in the clash with Marco Jansen. Jansen, a left-arm fast bowler, will threaten Kohli to hunt him down before he scores big again. Jansen has taken 16 wickets in seven matches and Kohli’s wicket will add a feather to his cap.
