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Match 8: India vs South Africa - ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Post Match Summary

India kick-started with a composed win in ICC WC 2019!

The Match 8 of the ICC Men’s Cricket WC 2019 was happened between both the semi-finalist of 2015 World Cup India and South Africa.

Since, it is a pure batting track analyzed by experts the toss was favoured for the South African Captain Faf du Plessis. The match commenced at Ageas bowl, Southhampton by 10:30am the local time.


The South African opener Hasim Amla who was missed out for the previous match against Bangladesh due to a bouncer which caused the damage bowled by the England WC debutant pacer, Jofra Archer in the inaugural match of the tournament. But, this time the world’s fastest run getter Hasim was back in the side against India. Despite of flat batting track the South African openers Hasim Amla and the wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock fail to face the quality spell bowled by the world’s no.1 ODI bowler Jasprit Bumrah. As Hasim could only contribute 6 runs while, world no.4 best ODI batsman de Kock just made 10. Then came the skipper Faf du Plessis who decided to built a slow innings along with Rassie van der Dussen and after with the experienced David Miller. Due to the Indian threatening bowling attack the bowlers did not allow the South African batsmen to push forward the team’s score board. Not only the medium pacers attacked the opponents it was, the spinners who also controlled the game especially the right arm leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal registered his 1st 4 wicket-haul in his debut World Cup tournament. Chahal dismissed 4 crucial break throughs which turned the batting track into a bowling one, as the skipper Faf du Plessis who made 38 off 54 was bowled, middle order Rassie van der Dussen was also bowled for 22 off 37, David Miller who made 31 off 40 was caught and bowled and Chahal’s last wicket was with South African all-rounder Andile Phehkulwayo who was stumped so easily by MS Dhoni as he made 34 off 61 balls with 2 fours and 1 six. Expect Hardik Pandya and Kedar Jadhav rest all the Indian bowlers contributed wickets. As Bhuvaneshwar Kumar bowled a brilliant spell by picking 2 wickets for 44 in his 10 over spell, while Kuldeep Jadhav contributed 1 crucial wicket with an economy of 4.6 in his 10 overs and finally with Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional spell by picking 2 wickets at an economy of 3.5 in his 10. At one stage the South Africans were 7 down for 158, it was the bowling all-rounder Chris Morris who made a worthy knock of 42 in 34 balls which includes 2 sixes and a boundary along with the tailender Kagiso Rabda, who went charged through an unbeaten 31 off 35, with 2 boundaries under his name. This brought the South Africans file up a total of 227 for the loss 9 wickets in 50 overs. Rabada’s handy knock of 31 registered his career best.

When the Indians were ask down to chase an achievable target of 228 in 50 overs it was the Indian default opening pair Shikhar Dawan and Rohit Sharma who faced some serious pace attack by the 24 year old South Africans lime light Kagiso Rabada. This caused an early damage as Rabada picked Dawan for just 8 runs who was caught behind by Quinton de Kock. Then came the Indian skipper who is the all time greatest batsmen in all formats of Cricket having an batting average just below 60 in ODIs who is none other than the “RUN-Machine” Virat Kohli. Virat who tried to built a strong partnership with his teammate Rohit Sharma the Vice-Captain of team India. But, Virat rarely fail to contribute more runs on the board as he went for just 18 off 34 balls. By picking Virat’s wicket Andile Phehlikwayo registered his maiden WC wicket as Kolhi try to cut down the ball it edged towards the first slip but, it was Quinton de Kock who took a blinder. Rohit at one end who was going well was also supported by the WC debutant KL Rahul who came as the new no.4 find for India contributed a winning partnership of 85 runs stand. Lokesh Rahul who made a solid 26 runs off 42 deliveries that includes 2 boundaries gave his wicket on his own by clipping towards mid-off to du Plessis. Then came the world’s famous finisher Mahendra Singh Dhoni at no.5 who rarely fail to be till the end inspite of giving steady 74 runs partnership. Rohit who luckily had 2 life before marking his 23rd Century, one in the very 2nd over bowled by Rabada dropped by the skipper Faf himself when Rohit was at 1 run and the other was not given by the Umpire which was judst clipping the top of leg stump bowled by Andile Phehlikwayo in the 12th over when Rohit was at 22 runs. If that was given then team India might have got troubled in the begining itself without, settling any batsmen by the South African bowlers. Rabada got also fraustrated by his team-mate David Miller who rarely missed a easy high catch at shot extra covers after Rohit’s 2nd WC ton and 3rd versus SA on 107 in the 44th over. Infact, MSD was also put down in Shamsi’s over by the substitute fielder Makram which could been a blinder in slip when Dhoni was at 18 runs in the 41th over. Though the South African bowlers Chris Morris who picked 1 wicket in the end of MS Dhoni’s, Andile Phehlukwayo who picked 1 wicket which was Virat, and an extraordinary spell by Rabada who made his fullest effort to win for the team lost by 6 wickets to India due to some easy takes. It was Hardik Pandya who finishes of in style with a four along with his Mumbai Indians Captain Rohit Sharma who made an unbeaten winning 122 runs off 144 balls with 13 boundaries and 2 massive under his belt. Thus India kick-started the World Cup campaign with a comfortable 6 wickets win in 47.3 overs.



 Man of the Match (MOM) : It is undoubtedly Rohit Sharma who bagged the Man of the Match (MOM) shield for his 122 runs off 144 balls which was not his natural game.

Records :

Rohit Sharma registered his 2nd World Cup Ton and 3rd against South Africa in his 23 Centuries at Southhampton.

Yuzvendra Chahal picked his 1st 4-wicket haul in his debut World Cup appearance.

This the 1st time in the history of World Cups as South Africa had lost 3 consecutive matches.