What happened the last time India played South Africa in a home ODI World Cup?

India will face South Africa in match number 37 of the 2023 ODI World Cup at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday. The Men in Blue and South Africa are the two top-ranked sides in the competition. As such, the tussle is expected to be a highly exciting one.

The Men in Blue are the only unbeaten side in the World Cup. They have played seven matches so far, winning all of them. Team India’s campaign began with a six-wicket triumph over Australia in Chennai.

In subsequent matches, they went on to beat Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh by significant margins. The Men in Blue also broke their jinx against New Zealand in ICC events, registering a four-wicket win over the Kiwis. Since then, they have also thumped England and Sri Lanka.

If we look at South Africa’s journey in the 2023 World Cup, they have won six out of seven games. The Proteas began with a crushing 102-run win over Sri Lanka, a match in which they set a record for the highest team total (428/5) in the Men’s ODI World Cup. Barring the loss to the Netherlands, they have been in supreme form.

India and South Africa were involved in a closely fought tussle in 2011

Virender Sehwag is bowled by Faf du Plessis. (Pic: Getty Images)

The Men in Blue last took on South Africa in a home ODI World Cup during the 2011 edition. The group match was played at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Following a tightly contested tussle, the Proteas emerged victorious by three wickets.

Team India batted first in the match and posted a competitive 296 all out in 48.4 overs. The hosts got off to a terrific start with the bat as openers Sachin Tendulkar (111 off 101) and Virender Sehwag (73 off 66) added 142 in 17.4 overs.

The wonderful stand ended in unexpected fashion as Faf du Plessis bowled Sehwag. The batter, who struck 12 fours in his innings, attempted to cut a delivery but edged the ball back onto the stumps.

Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir (69 off 75) then added 125 runs for the second wicket. The former went on to complete his 48th ODI ton before being dismissed by Morne Morkel.

The Indian legend attempted to smash the South African pacer down the ground but ended up slicing a catch to point. Tendulkar’s wonderful knock featured eight fours and three sixes.

Steyn claims five as India suffer stunning collapse

Dale Steyn celebrates the wicket of Yusuf Pathan. (Pic: Getty Images)

India were comfortably placed at 267/1 in the 40th over when Tendulkar fell. They ended up crumbling in spectacular fashion and were all out for 296, losing their last nine wickets for the addition of merely 29 runs. Dale Steyn was the wrecker-in-chief with figures of 5/50 from 9.4 overs.

Steyn had Gambhir caught at mid-off and in the same over had Yusuf Pathan (0) slicing a catch to cover. He then dismissed Harbhajan Singh (3), Ashish Nerha (0), and Munaf Patel (0) to run through India’s tail. At the other end, Jacques Kallis chipped in with the key wicket of Yuvraj Singh (12) Robin Peterson also picked up a couple of scalps.

India pay the price for batting meltdown

Defending a target of 297, left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan had Graeme Smith (16) caught at mid-off. However, Hashim Amla (61 off 72) and Kallis (69 off 88) laid a solid platform for South Africa’s chase, adding 86 runs for the second wicket. The partnership was broken when Amla was caught behind off Harbhajan.

Kallis and AB de Villiers (52 off 39) then added 46 runs for the third wicket before the former was run out by a terrific piece of work by the keeper and captain MS Dhoni. Jean-Paul Duminy (23), Faf du Plessis (25*), Johan Botha (23), and Peterson (18*), however, all chipped in as South Africa reached the target in 49.4 overs.

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With 13 runs needed off the last over, Peterson hammered Nehra for 4, 6, 2, and 4 to lift the Proteas to a memorable win.