Big picture: Newest rivalry in town
Throw in high stakes. This is no longer a match in which only India stand to lose something although they will not want to be the XI that breaks India’s winning streak of 12 at T20 World Cups. South Africa stand to lose a lot as well.
You lose this match, and the remaining two become must-wins but not a guarantee to make the semi-finals. It is a blockbuster start to the Group 1 Super Eight round. South Africa have been used to the Ahmedabad conditions having played three of their four matches there. India don’t need any more familiarity with Ahmedabad as every important match of any series or tournament invariably ends up there.
India WWWWWL (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWL
In the spotlight: Ishan Kishan and Aiden Markram
Team news: Axar to return; Nortje or Rabada?
Arshdeep Singh expectedly returned for the last match, but India rested Axar Patel to give Washington Sundar a game. Axar should come back into the XI.
India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt.), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Shivam Dube, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.
South Africa rested Lungi Ngidi in their last game, giving Kagiso Rabada time to attain full rhythm while also testing out Anrich Nortje. Ngidi, still their leading wicket-taker, should come back at the expense of one of the big quicks. This being a night game, Corbin Bosch is likelier to get the nod ahead of George Linde.
South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram (capt.), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada/Anrich Nortje, 11 Lungi Ngidi.
The night games in Ahmedabad have been high-scoring and chase-friendly. India played Netherlands on black soil, which explained a bit of slowness in the surface. This match will be played on a black-soil surface so temper your expectations of runs. Still sides will want to chase upon winning the toss. Highs of 34 degree celsius are warm for February, which should concern us overall, but there is no rain threat to the match.
