Preview: South Africa v India – Only T20I
First Published : 29 Mar 2012, 19:28
Last Modified : 29 Mar 2012, 19:28
What
The annual one-off T20 International between South Africa and India called the Friendship T20 Cup
When
March 30, 2012. The game begins at 21:00 IST.
Where
Bidvest Wanderers Stadium. South Africa enter this match as favourites and not just because they are the home side. The Proteas have won five of their last six matches played at the ‘Bullring’ with their only defeat since November 2007 coming at the hands of England, by one run, in November 2009.
The Teams
Although the match is being organised to celebrate bilateral ties between South Africa and India, do not expect a letup in the intensity between the two teams. South Africa will be eager to atone for the T20I loss when India visited them on the 2010-11 tour. The hosts have the right mix of talent in terms of batsmen, pacers and all-rounders and are led by the astute Johan Botha, who with 31 T20I appearances is the right man for the job.
Unlike South Africa, who are returning from a triumphant tour of New Zealand in all three formats, India might be slightly low on confidence having been eliminated after the league stage in both, the CB Series competition in Australia and the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. However, India have a perfect record against the hosts in T20s in South Africa and that fact should spur India on.
Key Players
Richard Levi smashed the fastest century in T20 Internationals, off just 45 deliveries, an unbeaten 117 that helped South Africa beat New Zealand in the second T20I of the three-match series last month. 24-year-old-Levi, whom Indian fans would have seen playing for Cape Cobras at the Champions League Twenty20, enjoys a strike-rate of just under 150 in T20 cricket, enough reason for the Indians to be wary of him.
With 697 runs to his credit, Gautam Gambhir has been India’s leading run-getter in T20Is. Gambhir’s unbeaten half-century in India’s T20 outing against Australia in Melbourne on February 3 helped India square the two-match series against the hosts.
Trivia
South Africa – Johan Botha has won seven out of 10 games in which he has captained South Africa. Among all captains with 10 or more games, Botha’s win-percentage is the third-highest, behind only Mahela Jayawardene (72.72) and Shoaib Malik (70.59).
India – Out of eight T20Is played on South African soil, India have lost only one. They won five, tied one (v Pakistan – eventually won in a bowl-out), while one game (v Scotland) was abandoned after the toss. India’s only defeat came against New Zealand at the same ground in the 2007 World Cup.
Venue Stats
South Africa – played – 11, won - 8, lost – 3, tied – 0, no result – 0
India – played – 3, won – 2, lost – 1, tied – 0, no result – 0
Highest total in an innings: Sri Lanka 260/6 in 20.0 overs v Kenya – September 14, 2007
Lowest total in an innings: Bangladesh 83 in 15.5 overs v Sri Lanka – September 18, 2007
Best individual score in an innings: Chris Gayle (West Indies) – 117 v South Africa – September 11, 2007
Best bowling figures in an innings: Abdur Razzak (Bangladesh) 3.0-0-16-4 v South Africa – November 5, 2008
Average first innings score at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in T20Is: 164
Result summary at the Bidvest Wanderers Stadium in T20Is:
|
Matches |
Won batting first |
Won batting second |
No Result |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Overall |
8 |
11 |
0 |
Head-to-head:
|
Matches |
Played |
SA won |
Ind won |
Tied |
No result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Overall |
5 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
In South Africa |
3 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
At Bidvest Wanderers Stadium |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Last T20I meeting between South Africa and India: 09 January 2011, Durban
Brief scores: India 168/6 beat South Africa 147/9 by 21 runs
Form guide in T20Is (most recent listed first):
South Africa: Won, Won, Lost, Won, Lost (3 wins, 2 losses)
India: Won, Lost, Lost, Lost, Won (2 wins, 3 losses)
The Squads
South Africa: Johan Botha (c), Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Richard Levi, Albie Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Rusty Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk, Dane Vilas
India: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Virat Kohli (vc), Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Praveen Kumar, R Vinay Kumar, Rahul Sharma, Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwary, Irfan Pathan & Ashok Dinda
All stats are as on March 29, 2012
