India vs South Africa 1st ODI: Rejuvenated India aim for top in ODI series against Proteas

Agencies
January 31, 2018

Durban, Jan 31: Galvanised by the consolatory win in the final Test, a resurgent India will be aiming for their first bilateral ODI series triumph on the South African soil when they take on the Proteas in a six-match rubber, starting here tomorrow.

With only 14 months to go for the 2019 ODI World Cup, India will also look to kick off their preparations in earnest during the series. India have a long limited-overs’ schedule until their next big Test assignment this year.

They play six ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals here, a T20I tri-series in Sri Lanka and then three ODIs and three T20Is in England and Ireland, with the 2018 IPL season thrown in, before the five-Test series in England later in August.

Such a definitive run of limited-overs’ cricket, especially in overseas conditions in South Africa and England, will allow the Indian team management to round up the squad’s core for the big tournament in 2019 and fix up certain spots which still need some work. At the same time, the Men in Blue will be intent on winning their first-ever bilateral ODI series on South African soil.

India have previously lost 5-2 in 1992-93, 4-0 in 2006-07, 3-2 in 2010-11 and 2-0 in 2013-14. They were also part of two triangular series in 1996-97 and 2001-02, featuring Zimbabwe and Kenya respectively, but the Proteas emerged victors on both occasions. So much so, India’s ODI record against South Africa in South Africa is heavily skewered.

In 28 meetings since 1992-93, the Proteas have won 21 matches, while India have only won five. Such a poor record will not sit well with the current team management that is intent on improving India’s all-round showing in overseas conditions.

Additionally, India have a very lop-sided ODI record at Durban. In seven ODIs against South Africa at this venue, since 1992-93, they have lost six with one no-result. India did beat England and Kenya here though, during the 2003 ODI World Cup, giving them an overall two wins in nine ODIs at Kingsmead.

At stake, there is also the small matter of achieving the no.1 spot in ICC’s ODI rankings. Currently, South Africa sit atop with 120 points while India are second with 119 points. While the ODI rankings change after every match, a cumulative 4-2 series’ win will be enough to help India achieve the no.1 spot.

This should be motivation enough for Virat Kohli and Co., particularly as they will be taking the momentum into this ODI series, having assured themselves of finishing no.1 in the ICC Test rankings by prolonging their unbeaten record at the Wanderers last week. South Africa won the Test series 2-1, but lost the third Test at Johannesburg by 63 runs on a seam-friendly pitch rated ‘poor’ by ICC match referee Andy Pycroft.

India also have a proud ODI record to protect. Since losing 4-1 in Australia (January 2016), the Men in Blue haven’t lost a single bilateral ODI series, home or away. In this interim, they have beaten Zimbabwe, New Zealand (twice), England, West Indies, Sri Lanka (twice) and Australia, winning 24 out of 32 bilateral matches.

Their only tournament loss came in the 2017 Champions Trophy (in England), where they lost to Pakistan in the final.

As such, the team management will be relying on optimal selection to get this six-match series off to a good start. With the return of Kohli after missing the ODIs/T20Is series against Sri Lanka in December, there is only one middle-order spot to be decided.

Shreyas Iyer gave a good account of himself, scoring two half-centuries in three matches against Sri Lanka, and is a front-runner for the job. But experience could be of greater value herein, with Dinesh Karthik and Manish Pandey also in the running. On Wednesday, the pitch bore a brownish look ahead of the game, in keeping with the rainfall Durban has received of late.

Showers are forecast for Thursday’s game as well. It might have a bearing on how many spinners India go in with.

If the visitors play only a lone spinner, Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav could get the nod ahead of both Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal, to counter the threat of big-hitting left-handers David Miller and JP Duminy in the middle-order. Only one spinner would also mean that Kedar Jadhav is assured of a starting spot, thanks to his part-time bowling.

South Africa too, meanwhile, have an eye on the upcoming World Cup. AB de Villiers is set to miss out the first 3 ODIs due to an injured right index finger (sustained during the third Test). Farhan Behardien is usually their go-to batsman in such situations, but he wasn’t called up on this occasion. This is indicative of the Proteas’ team management eyeing different combinations.

Durban-born batsman Khayelihle Zondo can expect to make his debut instead. The other option is to open with Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock, and give Aiden Markram another opportunity in the middle-order, wherein he had scored 66 on ODI debut against Bangladesh at East London (October 2017). The Proteas are expected to go in with only spinner — Imran Tahir.

Teams:

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungisani Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khayelihle Zondo.

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News Network
April 27,2020

Lahore, Apr 27: Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been banned from all forms of cricket for three years for failing to report spot-fixing offers, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced Monday.

Umar, who turns 30 next month, pleaded guilty to not reporting the fixing offers which led to his provisional suspension on February 20 this year.

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News Network
February 10,2020

Potchefstroom, Feb 9: Bangladesh clinched their maiden ICC U-19 World Cup title after beating favourites India by three wickets in the summit clash here on Sunday.

Set a revised target of 170 after a brief rain interruption, Bangladesh won the match with 23 balls to spare.

Sent in to bat, India's batting wilted under pressure as a superb Bangladesh bowling attack shot the defending champions out for a paltry 177 in 47.2 overs.

Yasashvi Jaiswal (88 off 121 balls) was once again a standout performer but not for once did he look like dominating the Bangladesh bowling unit whose new ball bowlers Shoriful Islam (2/31 in 10 overs) and Tanzim Hasan Shakib (2/28 in 8.2 overs) literally stifled the Indians for runs.

The third seamer Avishek Das (3/40 in 9 overs) was the most successful bowler in terms of figures but it was Shoriful's first spell with channelised aggression that put the Indians on the back-foot from the onset.

After a short rain break towards the end, the target was revised to 170 from 46 runs but Bangladesh reached 170 for 7 in 42.1 overs to win the match.

Opener Parvez Hossain Emon top-scored for Bangladesh with a 79-ball 47 while captain and wicketkeeper Akbar Ali was not out on 43 from 77 deliveries.

For the India U-19 side, Ravi Bishnoi was the most successful bowler with figures of 4/30 while Sushant Mishra had 2/25.

India thus missed out on a record fifth title in their seventh final appearance.

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Agencies
August 9,2020

Manchester, Aug 9: Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler played knocks of 84 and 75 respectively as England gained an improbable three-wicket win over Pakistan in the first Test of the three-match series here at the Emirates Old Trafford.

England chased down a total of 277 on the fourth day of the first Test.

Chasing 277, England openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley put on 22 runs for the first wicket, but Mohammad Abbas finally provided the breakthrough to Pakistan as he had Burns (10) adjudged leg-before wicket in the 12th over.

Skipper Joe Root came to the crease next, and he along with Sibley ensured that the side does not lose any more wickets before the lunch break, and England went into the lunch break at 55/1.

Sibley and Root eventually put up a 64-run stand, but their partnership was finally brought to an end by Yasir Shah as he dismissed Sibley (36) in the 36th over. Soon after, skipper Root (42) was also sent back to the pavilion by Naseem Shah, reducing England to 96/3 in the 39th over.

All eyes were on all-rounder Ben Stokes (9), but Pakistan's Yasir Shah sent him back to the pavilion in the 42nd over, and England was left in a spot of bother. Shaheen Shah Afridi, then also got among the wicket-taking charts as he scalped the wicket of Ollie Pope (7), reducing England to 117/5 in the 45th over.

Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler then got together at the crease, and the duo played in an aggressive manner to retrieve the innings for England. The hosts went into the tea break at 167/5, still, 110 runs away from the target with five wickets in hand.

Buttler and Woakes continued their march to frustrate the Pakistan bowling attack and the duo brought the target within the grasp of England. Both batsmen put up a stand of 139 runs, however, with just 21 runs away from the target, England lost the key wicket of Buttler (75) as Yasir Shah had him trapped in front of the wicket.

With England just needing four more runs for the win, Yasir Shah dismissed Stuart Broad (4), but in the end, Woakes and Dom Bess ensured England's win by three wickets.

For Pakistan, Yasir Shah was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped four wickets.

Earlier, resuming day four at 137/8, Yasir Shah (33) along with Mohammad Abbas (3*) and Naseem Shah (4) added 32 more runs to the overnight score to give England a target of 277 to win the first Test.

Stuart Broad was the pick of England bowlers as he scalped three wickets.

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