KOLKATA: In a one-sided match at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India showcased their prowess by defeating South Africa with a 243-run victory in the 37th match of the ICC World Cup 2023, extending their exceptional winning streak in the tournament.
South Africa found themselves in dire straits as they struggled to face India’s formidable bowling attack, losing five wickets for a mere 40 runs within 13.1 overs. Despite their reputation for playing fearless cricket, the Proteas faltered and continuously lost wickets at regular intervals.
Their innings came to a crushing end as they were all out for a mere 83 runs, marking their largest defeat of the World Cup. Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the standout bowler, securing five wickets for 33 runs and dismantling the Proteas’ batting lineup.
Batting first, India began their innings aggressively, with opener Rohit Sharma leading the charge. Sharma’s explosive innings of 40 runs off 24 balls, adorned with eight boundaries, set the tone for the match as India crossed the 90-run mark within the first 10 overs. However, both openers, Sharma and Shubman Gill, were dismissed soon after, leaving India at 93-2 in 10.3 overs.
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A pivotal partnership between Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer ensued, amassing 134 runs and stabilizing India’s innings on the challenging Kolkata pitch. Iyer’s impressive innings of 77 runs off 87 balls, featuring nine boundaries, and Kohli’s outstanding century, scoring 101 runs off 121 balls, became the cornerstone of India’s total.
Kohli’s century, his 49th in ODIs, equaled the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record, making it a special milestone for Kohli, especially as he played on his birthday. Kohli remained unbeaten till the end, guiding India to a formidable total of 326 runs within the allocated overs.
In the dying overs, quick contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (22 off 14) and Ravindra Jadeja (29 off 15) bolstered India’s total.
India Playing XI
1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Suryakumar Yadav, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Mohammed Shami, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohammed Siraj
South Africa Playing XI
1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Temba Bavuma (c), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Lungi Ngidi, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi
