South Africa faced a mortifying defeat at the hands of India in their highly-anticipated encounter at the Cricket World Cup, suffering a 243-run loss in Kolkata, India.
India won the toss and chose to bat, amassing a total of 326 for five wickets, and then proceeded to dismiss the Proteas for a mere 83 runs, marking their lowest-ever score in World Cup history.
The Proteas found themselves in a challenging position right from the outset. India’s formidable batting and South Africa’s lackluster bowling allowed India to reach 61 without losing a wicket in just five overs.
Kagiso Rabada claimed the wicket of Rohit Sharma for 40 runs in the sixth over, while Keshav Maharaj removed the other opener, Shubman Gill, who scored 23 runs in the eleventh over.
Although the Proteas managed to slow down the run rate thereafter, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer consistently exhibited control as they paced their innings flawlessly. Kohli went on to notch his 49th century, equaling the one-day international centuries record held by compatriot Sachin Tendulkar.
All five of the Proteas’ primary bowlers managed to take a wicket, but the Indian batting lineup particularly punished Marco Jansen, who conceded 94 runs in nine overs and four balls. Kohli concluded the innings unbeaten at 101 runs.
Both the Proteas and India had already secured their places in the semi-finals before the match began. However, this performance underscored a significant gap in their competitive levels. India, a well-balanced team with exceptional bowlers and batsmen, remains undefeated in the tournament and is considered the clear favorite to win the World Cup. Nonetheless, Protea fans had hoped to witness a more spirited effort from their team.
Both teams have one match remaining, with the Proteas facing Afghanistan on Friday, while India will take on the Netherlands on Sunday.
Main image: Cape Town ETC
