IND VS RSA - 37th Match, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023

India on top of the table and would stay there till the end of the league phase. That's certain now as their unbeaten run continues to motor along and decimate opponents one by one. SA just never looked threatening enough. They didn't know what hit them when Rohit came out all guns blazing. The usually accurate Ngidi was taken apart and Jansen had a massive off day today. When the openers got out, the immovable force in Kohli came to the fore. He just soaked in everything alongside Iyer. At times it did feel, India were going slow. But the Indian batters had summed up the wicket perfectly. They have a perfect record so far. And we tried to be perfect as well in our description of the events that unfolded. Perfection these days is only mastered by the Indian team it seems. On that perfect note, this is Kumar Abhisekh Das signing off on behalf of Pradeep Krishnamurthy, Abhinav Guha and Venkatesh.

Rohit Sharma: If you look at how we have played in the last three games, we have adapted better. We were put under pressure against England. But we got a decent score and then the seamers did the job. We lost a wicket in the first over. Then got runs and then the seamers did well. We needed Kohli to go out there and play the situation. We then knew we had to keep it in the right areas and let the pitch do the rest. [on Shreyas Iyer] Even if the faith hadn't been repaid, I would have still stuck to them. We need to keep the trust. It can't be done everyday. For Shami to comeback the way he has, shows the mindset. The last two games has shown what Iyer is capable of. Gill and myself have been batting together for a majority of time now. We let the instincts take over. We don't preplan anything. We just assess and play accordingly. Jadeja has been very good for us. Playing in every format over the years. Today was a classical case as to what Jadeja is for us. Came out at the death and scored vital runs. Then picked up wickets. He knows his role and knows what the expectations from him. Not to get too ahead of ourselves has been the talk in the dressing room. Couple of big games coming up. We don't want to change anything.

Temba Bavuma: We know it's a challenge. We have lost chasing. We had had our conversations with our batters. They got 90 in the first 10 overs. We did well after that. Curbed down the run-rate. Sharma kind of set it up. Kohli and Iyer had a good partnership. The wicket played the way we suspected it well. We were not able to adapt unfortunately. Potentially, we might play again here in the semis.

Stats by Deepu Narayanan

Best figures for an Indian spinner in World Cups
5/31 Yuvraj Singh vs Ire Bengaluru 2011
5/33 Ravindra Jadeja vs SA Kolkata 2023
4/6 Yuvraj Singh vs Nam Pietermaritzburg 2003
4/25 R Ashwin vs UAE Perth 2015

Opposition batter outscoring SA in an ODI
K Sangakkara 169 vs 140 Colombo RPS 2013
V Kohli 101 vs 83 Kolkata 2023

Biggest defeats for SA in ODIs (by runs)
243 vs Ind Kolkata 2023
182 vs Pak Port Elizabeth 2002
180 vs SL Colombo RPS 2013
178 vs SL Colombo RPS 2018
Their previous biggest in a World Cup match was by 130 runs vs India in Melbourne in 2015.

Lowest all out totals for SA in ODIs
69 vs Aus Sydney 1993
83 vs Eng Nottingham 2008
83 vs Eng Manchester 2022
83 vs Ind Kolkata 2023
99 vs Ind Delhi 2022
Their previous lowest in a World Cup match was 149 vs Australia in Gros Islet in 2007.

Biggest defeats by runs for a Full Member nation in World Cups
302 SL vs Ind Mumbai WS 2023
257 WI vs SA Sydney 2015
243 SA vs Ind Kolkata 2023
229 Eng vs SA Mumbai WS 2023
215 NZ vs Aus St George's 2007

First time in ODIs in 2023 South Africa have failed to hit a single six

Virat Kohli | Player of the Match: It was a big game, probably playing the toughest team in the tournament. There was a motivation to do well. Because it happened on my birthday, it becomes special and the people made it more special for me. I did wake up with that excitement that today is not just another game. People from the outside look at the game in a bit of a different way. When the openers start well, it feels it is a belter and everyone has to play that way. But as the ball got older, the conditions slowed down drastically. The message was clear, keep batting around me. I was happy from that perspective. Once we got more than 315, we knew that we were above par. I’m enjoying myself, playing cricket all over again, that is more important to me than phases. I’m just happy that God has blessed me with that enjoyment. I’m just happy that I’m being able to do what I have done over all these years. (On Sachin's message) It is all too much for me to take in now, to equal my hero’s record is something special for me. He is perfection when it comes to batting. It’s a very emotional moment for me. I know where I come from, I know the days I have watched him on TV. Just to get that appreciation from him means a lot to me.

How underrated is Rohit's impact at the top? This wasn't a wicket where 60 runs would be scored in the first 6 overs? He just set the tone. The wicket wasn't a belter for sure. The wicket was slowish. It had something in it for the bowlers. It was tough for the new batters. Then talking about Kohli. People might have chewed off a few nails today when he was in the 90s. But the TON Machine just knows how to execute his plans. Then the bowlers. Have you ever come across a pack of wolves? This Indian bowling unit is pretty close to that. Their perseverance and metronomical churning is just getting too tough for the batters. How lucky are Rohit and Kohli that they don't have to face their own bowling attack!! SA have a lot of questions to answer. Their approach to run-chases looks a little opaque. They looked timid. India sensed it and pounced on them. They faltered against Netherlands. They almost tripped against Pakistan and never arrived today. There is a pattern. That might be a little worrying as well.

20:32 Local Time, 15:02 GMT, 20:32 IST: The skies are on fire. Indian team is on fire. They guarantee the pole position in the points table. They remain unscathed. They have done more to send down shivers to their opponents. No one wants to play India in this form. They are just too hot to handle. This was supposed to be the big battle as the top two teams squared off. But India have just shut it off well before time. SA didn't even last 30 overs. Total annihilation. Total dominance. Bring out more adjectives. Rohit set it up. Gill fell to a peach. Kohli had business as usual. Along the way equalled the great man by scoring his 49th ton on his B'day. Shreyas took his time and then took on the bowlers and Jadeja provided the final hurrah to propel India to 326. It always looked above par. But when SA came out to bat, we knew it was lightyears ahead of being par. Bumrah continued his unplayable form. Siraj nipped out QDK early as he chopped it on. Rohit summoned Jadeja early and he went on a wicket taking spree. Shami came in and picked up two and Kuldeep arrived to polish off the tail. The word clinical has found an apt sub in the form of this Indian cricket team. Just phenomenal.

Kuldeep Yadav to Ngidi, out Bowled!! That's all over. India hammer the SA team by 243 runs. That did enough to beat the outer-edge and slammed into the sticks. Was lobbed up from round the wicket, landed on middle and leg and turned enough to hit the sticks. Who will stop this juggernaut? India on a roll. Kohli has a huge smile. So does the rest of the members. Ngidi b Kuldeep Yadav 0(3)

Kuldeep Yadav to Ngidi, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

That over from Bumrah was maybe to change the ends for Jadeja and Kuldeep. Has worked well.

Jadeja to Shamsi, no run, spears one in at almost 95 kph and Shamsi does well to get the bat down in time and defend it

Jadeja to Shamsi, no run, flatter one, Shamsi looks to turn it away and gets an inside edge. The ball lobbed up off the pads but landed on the deck

Jadeja to Shamsi, FOUR, and that's heaved away for a four! Shamsi would be happy. That was a length delivery and sent away between mid-wicket and mid-on

Jadeja to Shamsi, no run, flatter one, Shamsi nudges the ball down to mid-wicket