All eyes will be on Virat Kohli as India take on South Africa in the first one-day international of the three-match series. The match will be played at Boland Park, Paarl on Wednesday, January 19 at 02:00 PM.
This will be the first time that Kohli will take the field after being sacked as ODI captain. KL Rahul has been given the command of the team in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma.
The Men in Blue will have to regroup themselves and play with the intent and conviction of trouble for South Africa. On the other hand, the Proteas will be full of confidence after thrashing India 2-1 in the three-match Test series.
The home team will be hoping to follow the same trend in the ODIs and win under Temba Bavuma’s leadership. Winning an ODI series is crucial for the hosts to climb above the tenth spot in the World Cup Super League points table.
Boland Park, Pitch Report:
The pitch at Boland Park in Paarl is batting friendly and thus the batsmen from both sides will be eager to score some runs. Quick outfield and short boundaries can help willow fielders to make a difference in the game. Fans should prepare themselves for a high-scoring fixture on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, pacers can also trouble the batsmen on the surface provided they hit the deck consistently. To get some momentum or bounce off the pitch, bowlers have to be consistent with their length and line.
Boland Park, Paarl Records (ODI):
Total matches played: 13
Matches won by batting first: 7
Matches Won Batting Second: 5
Average first innings score: 243
Average second innings score: 175
Highest total: 353/6 (50 overs) South Africa v Bangladesh
Lowest total: 36/10 (18.4 overs) Canada v Sri Lanka
Chasing Highest Score: 250/2 (48.5 Overs) South Africa v Sri Lanka
Minimum score defended: 204/10 (48.5) by India vs Netherlands
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