India vs South Africa Live Score, World Cup 2023: Mohammed ...

IND vs SA World Cup 2023 Live Score: India's Virat Kohli celebrates scoring a century during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between India and South Africa in Kolkata. (Express Photo by Partha Paul))

India vs South Africa Live Score, Cricket World Cup 2023: Riding on Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 101 India put on 326 for 5 against South Africa at the Eden Gardens, celebrating his 35th birthday in the most befitting manner.

Kohli reached the landmark when he scored a single off Kagiso Rabada in the 49th over of the Indian innings in front of a packed Eden Gardens crowds that kept chanting his names. Prior to the match against South Africa, Kohli narrowly missed out on his 49th ODI century during India’s match against Sri Lanka on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium.

At the World Cup, Shami and Afghanistan just looking like a wow

On this week's episode, as India faces off against South Africa, host Mihir Vasavda and Amit Kamath are joined by Indian Express' Pratyush Raj to delve into India's exceptional bowling performance, particularly that of players like Mohammed Shami, while also exploring the remarkable success of underdogs Afghanistan in the ongoing World Cup. (LISTEN)

South Africa's Marco Jansen bowls during the Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (PHOTO: PTI)

A stocky left-arm net bowler with long strides had the longest spell of the evening. Every Indian batsman would face him, every Indian batsman would ask him to probe a variety of lengths and lines. Virat Kohli instructed him to bowl short and into his body; KL Rahul would tell him to bombard the fifth-sixth stump line. Shubman Gill would request him to bowl from 18-19 yards.

It’s not hard to tell why the left-armer was in demand. Indian batsmen were readying for the toughest test they could face on Sunday, that is the beanpole Marco Jansen. The net bowler was neither as tall nor as quick as Jansen. He was barely getting the ball rear up to the chest or hurry the batsmen.

An hour ago, on the same pitch, Jansen had let it rip. The first ball he bowled kicked up at an awkward height from a good-length area, whizzing past the shoulders of the bemused batsman. In the next half an hour, he would keep the batsman literally on their toes. He would seam the ball into them, make it kick away and then at the end of it, wear the pads again for another hit. The net bowler could conjure none of these devils. (READ MORE)

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First published on: 05-11-2023 at 10:00 IST