 "Pakistan’s spin attack looks lethal ahead of high-stakes Asia Cup clash against India")
 "Empty stands and easy wins: Asia Cup 2025 turns into one-horse race as minnows struggle")
ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Match 8 India vs South Africa Latest Updates: Pandya gets a four through deep backward point and India have beaten South Africa by six wickets. Rohit Sharma has been star of this chase. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Match 8, India vs South Africa at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, Preview: India open their ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 campaign, against South Africa in Southampton’s Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Billed as pre-tournament favourites, India, led by Virat Kohli, warmed up to the event with a loss and a win against New Zealand and Bangladesh respectively in practice matches. Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis’ South Africa, searching their maiden World Cup trophy, have stumbled to consecutive losses to England and Bangladesh and need to win most of their remaining seven matches to stake a claim for last-four berth. India will rely on their top three to fire, while KL Rahul looks likely to bat at the much-debated No 4 spot. Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya complete the batting line-up. Among bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami look set to lead the pace attack, while it will be interesting to see if the team management goes for the spin twins Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, or drop one of the two wrist-spinners to make room for left-arm finger spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Team composition notwithstanding, India will start hands-down favourites given the recent form of both teams. Full Squad: South Africa Team: Faf du Plessis (capt), Quinton de Kock , Imran Tahir , David Miller , JP Duminy , Lungi Ngidi , Kagiso Rabada , Aiden Markram , Chris Morris , Andile Phehlukwayo , Tabraiz Shamsi , Dale Steyn , Dwaine Pretprius , Rassie van der Dussen , Hashim Amla . India Team: Rohit Sharma , Shikhar Dhawan , Virat Kohli (c), Vijay Shankar , MS Dhoni (w), Kedar Jadhav , Hardik Pandya , Ravindra Jadeja , Mohammed Shami , Jasprit Bumrah , Bhuvneshwar Kumar , Lokesh Rahul , Dinesh Karthik , Kuldeep Yadav , Yuzvendra Chahal For all the latest news, opinions and analysis from ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, click here
Highlights, India vs South Africa, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Match, Full Cricket Score: Rohit Sharma's ton leads India to six-wicket win
ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Match 8 India vs South Africa Live Updates: Pandya gets a four through deep backward point and India have beaten South Africa by six wickets. Rohit Sharma has been star of this chase.
)
India start their World Cup campaign with a comfortable win after outclassing South Africa in all the departments. Jasprit Bumrah set the tone with his fiery spell after India were put in to bowl and Yuzvendra Chahal finished the job with the four-for as South Africa succumbed to a small total. Yet, the pitch had enough demons in it, presenting a ray of hope to South Africa but Indian batsman and especially Rohit Sharma showed what the Proteas were missing. He stood tall and weathered the storm to take India to the finishing line.
Meanwhile, South Africa have lost three consecutive matches so far. Their bowling department has been plagued by injuries while batsmen are struggling to get going. Among all this it will be better to ignore how bad their fielding was. It’s going to be a long tournament for Faf du Plessis and Co.
We are done for tonight. It’s time to bid you guys goodbye but if you want to catch the action from New Zealand and Bangladesh match, please hop over to our other LIVE blog.
Rohit Sharma the man of the match for his superb hundred. Paced his innings just to perfection and took the game home for India. All other batsmen batted around him, albeit Rahul should have shown a bit more patience. Even so, India got past the finish line while into third gear. In helpful bowling conditions, India had to grind hard as South Africa didn’t throw in the towel. It didn’t matter in the end as they didn’t have enough runs on the board.
India get their World Cup campaign to a winning start. Next up… Australia!
Dominating display from India
Least ODIs to 50 victories as a captain: 63 – Clive Lloyd/ Ricky Ponting 68 – Hansie Cronje 69 – VIRAT KOHLI* 70 – Viv Richards
Least ODIs to 50 victories as a captain:
63 – Clive Lloyd/ Ricky Ponting
68 – Hansie Cronje
69 – VIRAT KOHLI*
70 – Viv Richards
After 48 overs,India 230/4 ( Rohit Sharma 122 , Hardik Pandya 15)
India start their World Cup campaign with a win!
Pandya gets a four through deep backward point and India have beaten South Africa by six wickets. Rohit Sharma has been star of this chase.
After 47 overs,India 223/4 ( Rohit Sharma 122 , Hardik Pandya 9)
India are just five runs away from a win but they have lost Dhoni. He top-edged his lofted straight shot as Morris took a catch off his own bowling. New batsman Hardik Pandya added two fours immediately after coming on.
WICKET! Dhoni c and b Chris Morris 34(46)
The top-edge off Dhoni’s bat skies up in the air as the batsman attempted to go down the ground. Bowler Morris calls for the catch and takes it despite stumbling onto the stumps.
After 46 overs,India 213/3 ( Rohit Sharma 121 , MS Dhoni (W) 34)
Five runs off Rabada’s over. Dhoni collects a double on first ball as the top-edge runs down to fine leg. Three more singles added. 15 in 24 needed.
After 45 overs,India 208/3 ( Rohit Sharma 120 , MS Dhoni (W) 30)
10 more from the over with Rohit sweeping a tossed up ball from Tahir to deep backward square leg for a four. Tahir is done with his 10 overs with match figures of 0/58. 20 more in 30 needed.
After 44 overs,India 198/3 ( Rohit Sharma 112 , MS Dhoni (W) 28)
Rabada bowled his heart out in the over but he would be fuming. Forced Rohit to top-edge the pull shot but Miller put down a dolly at covers followed by an upper-cut over the keeper for a boundary. South Africa’s fielding in this World up has been quite poor. 30 in 36 needed.
After 43 overs,India 193/3 ( Rohit Sharma 107 , MS Dhoni (W) 28)
14 off the over as India cruise towards the target. Two boundaries came in the over. Dhoni played a drive through cover off Shamsi for a four while Rohit swept the flighted ball to backward square leg. 35 in 42 needed.
Huge praise from Ian Bishop
After 42 overs,India 179/3 ( Rohit Sharma 100 , MS Dhoni (W) 21)
Just three singles from the over. Phehlukwayo has completed his eighth over. Not much pressure for India as they need 49 from off 48 balls. Shamsi to bowl the next over.
Most overseas tons for Indian openers in ODIs:
26 – Sachin Tendulkar
15 – Sourav Ganguly
12 – ROHIT SHARMA*
11 – Shikhar Dhawan
9 – Virender Sehwag
Indian players to score a century against South Africa in ODI WCs:
Sachin Tendulkar, Nagpur, 2011
Shikhar Dhawan, Melbourne, 2015
Rohit Sharma, Southampton, 2019*
After 41 overs,India 176/3 ( Rohit Sharma 100 , MS Dhoni (W) 19)
The Hitman Rohit has completed his hundred and has also gone past Sourav Ganguly on the list of century makers for India. His 23rd ODI hundred. There was also a tough chance for Markram at first slip which was put down. Dhoni wanted to play a cut on the off but edged it to the slip. Five off the over.
Most centuries for India against South Africa in ODIs:
5 – Sachin Tendulkar
4 – Virat Kohli
3 – Shikhar Dhawan, Sourav Ganguly, ROHIT SHARMA*
Most centuries for India in ODIs:
49 – Sachin Tendulkar
41 – Virat Kohli
23 – ROHIT SHARMA*
22 – Sourav Ganguly
16 – Shikhar Dhawan
After 40 overs,India 171/3 ( Rohit Sharma 97 , MS Dhoni (W) 17)
Dhoni played a solid looking drive to the sweeper cover but there was a fielder to cut it off. Just a double added. Three from the over. 57 more needed.
After 39 overs,India 168/3 ( Rohit Sharma 97 , MS Dhoni (W) 14)
Rohit is on 97, just three away from his 23rd ODI century. Shouts of Rohit-Rohit could be heard in the stadium. Four off the over. 60 more needed.
After 38 overs,India 164/3 ( Rohit Sharma 95 , MS Dhoni (W) 12)
Rohit attempted a hook but was beaten by pace by Morris who also got one to zip back in to hit Dhoni’s pads but it was most probably going over the stumps. Dhoni finished the over with a flashy pull to deep square leg for a boundary. Six off the over.