On the 5th of November, India and South Africa are set to clash in the 37th game of the ICC World Cup 2023 at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens. Both teams have already played seven games in the tournament, and India has secured a spot in the World Cup semifinals. India currently leads the points table with an impeccable record, having won all seven of their matches, accumulating 14 points, and boasting a net run rate of +2.102. In their latest encounter, they convincingly defeated Sri Lanka by a margin of 302 runs.
South Africa, on the other hand, has won six of their seven games in the tournament, making them the second-ranked team on the points table, trailing only behind India. They have accumulated 12 points and maintain a net run rate of +2.290. South Africa is on a four-match winning streak, displaying their formidable form. This clash promises to be another thrilling battle between these two cricketing giants.
ALSO READ: Rahul Dravid Hints at Virat Kohli Bowling In India’s 6th Bowling Option Crisis
As the match unfolds at Eden Gardens, both teams face crucial decisions regarding their playing elevens. South Africa’s skipper, Temba Bavuma, has hinted at the possibility of utilizing an additional spinner to adapt to the pitch conditions. India, too, may consider including R Ashwin in their lineup. However, India has maintained a consistent combination that has delivered favorable results in recent games, which might lead them to field the same five bowlers for yet another match.
India
India’s dominance in this tournament is unquestionable, whether they are chasing or setting targets. They secured five victories while batting second, establishing themselves as formidable chasers. However, when they batted first, they clinched resounding victories by margins of 100 and 302 runs.
Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj
South Africa
The tactical considerations extend to South Africa, who have appeared stronger when they have set targets. They achieved victory five times while batting first and suffered their only defeat when chasing a target. Notably, they successfully chased down a manageable total of 271, but their batting-first performances have been more consistent.
Probable XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Quinton de Kock (vc), Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Quinton de Kock (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen (vc), Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj
