Titanic clash in the offing at cricket’s biggest stadium

The No 1 ranked batter, the No 1 ranked bowler and the No 1 ranked team. India has all that and is all that.

India will also have 130,000 people cheering for them at cricket’s largest venue on Sunday. India is the favourite, not just on Sunday but for the rest of the tournament too. Yet the Proteas should revel in all that.

This is one of those matches that stands on its own. It won’t be tournament-defining. There are still two Super Eight matches left for both teams after, and thus the opportunity to still qualify for the semifinals. South Africa and India could yet meet again in the final.

There are compelling battles everywhere on Sunday. The Proteas top order has outperformed its Indian counterparts, ostensibly owing to a wretched run of form for the format’s top-ranked batter Abhishek Sharma. He hasn’t scored a run in the tournament.

Sharma’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, was defiant in his defence of the 25-year-old left-hander.

“About Abhishek’s form, I worry for the people who are worried about Abhishek’s form. I worry about them. Why are they so worried about Abhishek’s form?” Yadav wondered.

Quinton de Kock isn’t worried about Sharma’s form because he’s paid no attention to the tournament — other than when SA plays. “We’ve been doing our own thing away from cricket,” De Kock chirped.

“He’s the No 1 T20 batter in the world, according to the rankings. That must mean something. So he should just keep doing what he’s doing. He’s still young and you’re bound to fail. At some point he will play an important knock.”

SA will hope that knock doesn’t come on Sunday. The Proteas have kept a lid on Sharma, even during his hot streak last year when he averaged almost 43 and scored one century and five 50s in 21 matches. His overall record against the Proteas is modest by comparison to his career statistics. He averages 25 against SA compared to 34.13 overall, has a strike rate of 173.91 compared to 192.73 and has made one 50.

Sharma’s run of ducks has meant India’s highest opening partnership in the three matches he’s played was eight. When Sanju Samson played against Namibia, he and Ishan Kishan shared a first-wicket stand of 22.

Meanwhile, De Kock and Aiden Markram have been solid and have dovetailed beautifully throughout the group games. There have been two opening stands worth more than 50. And with Ryan Rickelton in excellent form at No 3, the Proteas have had a solid foundation off which to work in each of their matches.

However, unlike their opening clash with Canada when they turned their good start into a total in excess of 200, in the match against Afghanistan they let slip the advantage Rickelton and De Kock provided with their partnership of 112.

Markram is SA’s top run-scorer, with an aggregate of 178. In addition to those runs, he has impressed many with how he’s been hitting the ball. His unbeaten 86 was an exhibition of ball-striking. Opening the batting suits Markram, De Kock believes.

“Maybe he has more clarity in his role. He didn’t open previously, but batted at three, four or five and faced different situations. As an opener it’s just one thing you have to do. There aren’t so many different situations you have to worry about.”

Under the lights at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the dew is a factor that will affect the strategising for both teams. It is an advantage to bat second, but the two teams have had experience of bowling second in matches at the venue during the group stages.

It will be difficult for spinners, especially on the black soil pitch, which offers less grip and on which the dew allows the ball to skid on, making strokeplay easier. But Yadav doesn’t feel it will be a case of “win the toss and win the game”.

“I feel the toss is a little bit overrated,” he said. “If you bat well in the first innings, even if there is dew, you still have an opportunity to go out and defend if you have confidence in your bowling unit. I don’t think the toss will matter a lot.”