India and South Africa face off in what is being called a virtual quarterfinal at the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday at The Oval. Both teams ar coming into the game on the back of losses to Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively and only one out of the two can make it through to the semifinals.
Here are five things to look forward to from the game:
5. Will AB de Villiers return to his run-scoring ways?
In an event like the Champions Trophy, the spectators hope for some of the marquee stars to rise to the occasion and deliver. One player has not been able to do that. South Africa's ODI captain AB de Villiers has endured a quiet Champions Trophy so far, having made 4 and 0 against Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively.
On Sunday, in a game that will decide if South Africa reach the semifinals or not, the 33-year-old will need to stand up and deliver against a team he likes playing against.
de Villiers averages 53.29 against the Men In Blue and has made 6 hundreds against them, more than any nation in world cricket.
We have seen Krunal Pandya taste a good amount of success against him in the IPL. Will Kohli on Sunday bring either of Ravindra Jadeja or Yuvraj Singh to dislodge him early? Time will tell.
4.Can Virat Kohli fire on the big day?
In the past 5 years or so, Virat Kohli has developed a tendency to fire in matches, where India are desperate to win.The right-hander so far in this Champions Trophy has had one good innings and one duck and will look to amends for the latter performance on Sunday.
The last time India played South Africa in a major 50-over event, the 28-year-old made 41 as India trounced South Africa in Melbourne in the World Cup of 2015.
He averages 39 against the Proteas and will look to strengthen that number, by putting in a fine performance on Sunday.
3.Can South Africa peg India early?
In both games so far, the opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have given the side the foundation rest to follow. South Africa will need to find a way to dismiss them early and expose the likes of Virat Kohli and others early in order to try and restrict India to a mediocre score.
It was against the Proteas in the 2013 Champions Trophy that both Dhawan and Rohit began their, what would turn out to be a very, very successful opening combination. Can they, in a crunch scenario, on Sunday deliver? Only time will tell.
2.Should or Will India play R Ashwin?
In trying to fit in the extra seamer, India have dropped R Ashwin in both their matches so far.
While stats indicate that the off-spinner has not been as effective as you would like him to be in colored clothing in recent times, it would be worth giving him a game, considering the number of left-handers the Proteas have and also the manner in which he troubled him in 2015.
The question is how do the team management fit him: Does Kedar Jadhav, who has had a troubled time in the field, get the boot or do India drop one of the quicks to vacate the slot?
1.Will South Africa break the hoodoo against India?
Ever since the event first started in 1998, India and South Africa have faced off thrice in the Champions Trophy. In the 2000 edition, the two teams met in the semifinal stage of the competition and India won the game by 95 runs.
In the 2002 edition, it looked for a long time as though South Africa would win, but some fine bowling by Virender Sehwag late in the innings meant India squeezed home by 10 runs.The 2013 edition saw the two teams play the first match of the competition a Cardiff and led by Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, the Men in Blue romped home to another win.
So will India make it 4-0 and reach the semifinals or will South Africa break the hoodoo and make it through to the final four?
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