Kolkata, November 5, 2023: India vs South Africa, India continued their unbeaten run in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, thrashing South Africa by 243 runs in a one-sided contest at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.
Virat Kohli was the star of the show for India, scoring an unbeaten 101 to help his team post a mammoth total of 326 for 5. Kohli was sublime throughout his innings, hitting 13 fours and two sixes. He was ably supported by Shreyas Iyer (73), Rohit Sharma (53), and Shubman Gill (52).
In reply, South Africa were bowled out for just 83, their lowest score in the tournament. Ravindra Jadeja was the wrecker-in-chief for India, picking up five wickets for 12 runs. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami also chipped in with two wickets each.
India’s victory was their eighth in a row in the World Cup, and it cemented their place at the top of the points table. They are now virtually assured of a place in the semi-finals.
Brief Scores
India: 326 for 5 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 101*, Shreyas Iyer 73, Rohit Sharma 53, Shubman Gill 52)
South Africa: 83 all out in 27 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 5-12, Jasprit Bumrah 2-13, Mohammed Shami 2-22)
Player of the Match: Virat Kohli (India)
Here are some of the highlights of the India vs South Africa match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
Virat Kohli’s record-breaking century: Kohli scored an unbeaten 101 to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most centuries in ODI cricket. He was sublime throughout his innings, hitting 13 fours and two sixes.
India’s strong batting performance: India posted a mammoth total of 326 for 5, their highest score in the tournament. Apart from Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (73), Rohit Sharma (53), and Shubman Gill (52) also made significant contributions.
Ravindra Jadeja’s five-wicket haul: Jadeja was the wrecker-in-chief for India with the ball, picking up five wickets for 12 runs. He was ably supported by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who also chipped in with two wickets each.
South Africa’s collapse: South Africa were bowled out for just 83, their lowest score in the tournament. They were never in the chase and lost wickets at regular intervals.
Overall, it was a dominant performance by India from start to finish. They outplayed South Africa in all departments of the game and registered a well-deserved victory.
Here are some additional highlights
Kohli’s 101 was his 49th ODI century, and it came in just 239 balls. It was also his highest score in a World Cup match.
Jadeja’s five-wicket haul was his best bowling performance in ODI cricket. He also became the first Indian bowler to take five wickets in a World Cup match against South Africa.
India’s victory was their biggest by a run margin in a World Cup match against South Africa.
It was a truly memorable match for India, and it will be remembered for years to come.
Kohli equaled Sachin
Virat Kohli equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most centuries in ODI cricket during the India vs South Africa match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Kohli scored an unbeaten 101 to reach the milestone in just 239 balls.
Tendulkar was quick to congratulate Kohli on his achievement, saying, “I am so proud of Virat for equaling my record of most centuries in ODI cricket. He is a truly special player and I have no doubt that he will go on to break my record in the near future.”
Kohli himself was humbled by Tendulkar’s praise. He said, “Sachin is my idol and role model. I grew up watching him bat and I always wanted to be like him. To equal his record is a dream come true for me.”
Kohli’s century record is even more remarkable considering that he has achieved it at a much faster rate than Tendulkar. Kohli has scored his 49 centuries in just 239 matches, while Tendulkar took 452 matches to reach the same milestone.
Kohli’s century record is a testament to his incredible talent and consistency. He is one of the greatest batsmen of all time and he is sure to go on to break many more records in the future.
Here is a quote from Sachin Tendulkar after Kohli broke his record of most ODI centuries in 2023
“I am so happy for Virat. He is a deserving player and I am sure he will go on to break many more records in the future. I wish him all the best.”
Indian Defense
The Indian cricket team has a long history of producing world-class bowlers, and the current team is no exception. The Indian bowling attack is one of the most feared in the world, and it is one of the main reasons why the team is so successful.
The Indian bowling attack is led by Jasprit Bumrah, who is widely regarded as one of the best bowlers in the world. Bumrah is a versatile bowler who can bowl both pace and swing. He is also very good at bowling yorkers, which makes him very difficult to score runs off of.
Mohammed Shami is another key member of the Indian bowling attack. Shami is a fast bowler who can generate a lot of pace. He is also very good at bowling inswingers, which makes him very difficult to play against for right-handed batsmen.
Ravindra Jadeja is the Indian team’s main spin bowler. Jadeja is a left-arm spinner who is very good at bowling accurate lines and lengths. He is also very good at bowling variations, which makes him very difficult to read.
Other key members of the Indian bowling attack include Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur, and Yuzvendra Chahal. Kumar is a swing bowler who is very good at bowling with the new ball. Thakur is a medium-pacer who is very good at bowling in the middle overs. Chahal is a leg-spinner who is very good at bowling wicket-taking deliveries.
The Indian bowling attack is very well-balanced, and it has the ability to take wickets in all conditions. This is one of the main reasons why the Indian team is so successful.
Here are some of the key strengths of the Indian bowling attack
Versatility: The Indian bowling attack has a good mix of pace bowlers and spinners. This makes it difficult for batsmen to adapt to the conditions.
Accuracy: The Indian bowlers are very accurate, which makes it difficult for batsmen to score runs.
Variation: The Indian bowlers have a good repertoire of variations, which makes it difficult for batsmen to read them.
Teamwork: The Indian bowlers work very well together as a team. They support each other and they bowl to a plan, which makes them very effective.
The Indian bowling attack is one of the best in the world, and it is one of the main reasons why the Indian team is so successful.
India vs South Africa: CONCLUSION
India’s victory over South Africa in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 was a dominant performance from start to finish. They outplayed South Africa in all departments of the game and registered a well-deserved victory.
Virat Kohli’s century was the highlight of the Indian batting performance. He was in sublime form throughout his innings, and he was ably supported by Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill.
Ravindra Jadeja was the wrecker-in-chief for India with the ball, picking up five wickets for 12 runs. He was ably supported by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who also chipped in with two wickets each.
South Africa’s collapse was disappointing, but they were simply outplayed by a better team. India’s victory was their biggest by runs margin in a World Cup match against South Africa.
Overall, it was a memorable match for India, and it will be remembered for years to come. They are now the team to beat in the tournament, and they are looking untouchable.
