WC 2023: Virat Kohli’s Century and Jadeja’s 5 Wicket Haul Steers India to One-Sided Win Over South Africa

Kolkata, 5th November 2023: In a highly anticipated showdown, India faced off against South Africa in the 37th ODI of the tournament at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, a battle between the top two teams in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 points table. The match unfolded as a one-sided affair, with India emerging victorious by a significant margin of 243 runs.

This game held special significance as India’s Virat Kohli scored his 49th ODI century, equalling cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI Centuries record. Kohli also notched his 79th international century, edging closer to Tendulkar’s milestone of 100 international centuries. The day was made even more memorable as Kohli achieved this feat on his birthday.

India won the toss and opted to bat first. Captain Rohit Sharma, contributing a swift 40 runs, and Shubman Gill, with 23 runs, provided India with a strong start. The birthday boy, Virat Kohli, delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 101 off 121 balls. Shreyas Iyer added 77 runs from 87 balls before being caught by Aiden Markram on a delivery from Lungi Ngidi. With additional contributions from Suryakumar Yadav and the unbeaten Ravindra Jadeja, India posted a total of 326 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 50 overs.

South Africa’s bowling department featured Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, and Tabraiz Shamsi, with each securing one wicket.

In response, South Africa’s batsmen struggled as none managed to score more than 15 runs, with Marco Jansen being the highest scorer with 14 runs off 30 balls. The South African team was ultimately dismissed for a mere 83 runs in the 28th over.

Ravindra Jadeja was India’s standout bowler, claiming 5 wickets while conceding 33 runs in his 9 overs. Jadeja’s performance marked him as the second Indian spinner after Yuvraj Singh to achieve a 5-wicket haul in an ODI World Cup match. Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav secured 2 wickets each, while Mohammad Siraj took one wicket.

With this resounding victory, India maintained their flawless record in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, leading the points table. While South Africa has lost two of their eight matches, they remain strong contenders for a spot in the knockout stage. India has already secured qualification.

The 38th ODI of the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 will take place at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, where Bangladesh will go head-to-head with Sri Lanka.