India and South Africa faced off in a highly anticipated Cricket World Cup 2023 match at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The clash between the top two teams promised an exciting battle. As Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill aimed to build a strong partnership, they encountered a minor hiccup when Gill attempted a tight single. Although Gill seemed to risk his wicket by running towards the danger end, the throw missed the target. However, South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, chose to disturb the stumps with his hand.
Bavuma’s actions did not confuse the Indian duo or the umpires, but Kohli was quick to point out to Gill that the single was risky. If the throw had been aimed at Kohli’s end, he could have been in danger. A video of the incident went viral on social media, with fans expressing their opinions on Bavuma’s move.
It was Kohli’s birthday, and he was determined not to get run-out. Fortunately, the duo managed to avoid any further mistakes. However, Gill’s innings was short-lived as he was dismissed by Keshav Maharaj after scoring 23 runs.
In terms of the match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first. India fielded the same playing XI that had dominated Sri Lanka in their previous match, winning by a massive 302 runs.
Rohit explained his decision, saying, “We will bat first. Looks like a good pitch, it wasn’t to do with the pitch, we wanted to challenge ourselves. It’ll be a good game, two teams who have played consistent cricket and have topped the table, will be nice to win and go on top. I love to play over here, not just me, the entire team looks forward to playing at this historic ground. We’re playing the same team, don’t think we need to change anything with the way we’ve been playing.”
Rohit’s decision proved to be a wise one as India posted a score of over 300 runs before bowling out South Africa for under 100, securing a commanding victory.
Overall, the match showcased the intense competition between two top-ranked teams, with India emerging as the dominant force.
