The World Cup is on its way to the last stage where the fans are set to witness some tight situations for the semi-final spots. The Men in Blue have already qualified for the semi-finals after beating Sri Lanka on Thursday at the iconic Wankhede Stadium whereas three more sports are left to be filled.
The other team that has been in scintillating form is South Africa as the Proteas have won all their matches apart from the one against the Netherlands in Dharamsala where they lost by 38 runs. The Africans are not only winning games on this biggest stage but they are defeating their opponents by huge margins.
The upcoming Sunday will witness two of the best teams from the tournament taking on each other. The match between India and South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens will not be less than any festival for cricket fans. If South Africa wins this encounter, they will qualify for the semi-final stage, however, it is not going to be easy against India.
What have they done so far?
India has been unbeaten in this World Cup so far as they have beaten everyone with South Africa and Netherlands still left. The last two big victories against England and Sri Lanka by 100 runs and 302 runs respectively, must have given some tremendous confidence to the bowlers.
The batters played their part exceptionally well in the first five matches where they chased down the targets with ease. The match against Pakistan was yet another World Cup classic where the team won by 7 wickets. Regular contributions from every player have made this side a dangerous opposition in this tournament.
Quinton de Kock has been in fine form in this World Cup with four centuries
On the other hand, South Africa is playing at another level by putting some huge totals on the board. They have won five matches with a margin of over 100 runs which is unbelievable for any side in the world.
Not to forget their history, the Africans are also the ones who choke at a crucial time in a big tournament. But with the kind of form they are in, it is tough this time to beat them at any cost. Temba Bavuma & Co. would like to book their tickets to the semi-final on Sunday only by defeating India in this high-voltage encounter.
Head to Head Record
Both teams have played 90 matches so far in the ODIs where India has won 37 matches whereas South Africa became victorious on 50 occasions. The three matches had ended with no results.
Key Players
Mohammad Shami: With the kind of form Mohammad Shami is, it was hard to believe that he was not a part of the playing XI in the first few games. The elegance he provides in his bowling can be witnessed for hours by cricket fans. The seam position and the ability to move the ball both ways make him even more dangerous.
Mohammad Shami has picked up 14 wickets so far in the World Cup in just three matches
Shami has just played three matches and he is already up there in the charts with 14 wickets. His average is even less than 7 while bowling which is outstanding. He already has two fifers and one four-fer to his name in this tournament and would want to give his best against South Africa, who are in excellent form right now.
Quinton de Kock: This man is playing cricket at another level as de Kock has already scored 545 runs in 7 innings including four centuries. The southpaw has been in remarkable form and would want to win the title this time for his team.
De Kock has already announced his retirement from all forms of the game, therefore it becomes even more important for him to end his career on a high. A fine knock against India would help him to be prepared for the semis, the situation which is likely to be there.
Predicted XIs
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma ©, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
India: Rohit Sharma ©, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj
Prediction
Both teams are playing their best cricket and it’s tough to predict one winner out of the two top sides. While India has already made it to the knockouts, South Africa would be keen to win this encounter and join India on top.
Playing at home has always been an advantage for any side, therefore, India will be the slight favorites to maintain its unbeaten streak in this World Cup on Sunday.