SA vs IND 2024/25, SA vs IND 4th T20I Match Preview – Blogging Sole

SA vs IND 2024/25, SA vs IND 4th T20I Match Preview – Blogging Sole

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Big picture: The year India adopted T20

In a fickle and unpredictable format, India had arguably the best year for a team, winning 23 of their 25 T20Is in 2024. This was also the year they truly embraced the format, abandoning their focus-driven approach. safety with the bat to play. Offensive and modern T20 cricket.

The results could not have been better. They whitewashed Afghanistan and Bangladesh at home and did the same in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, their second division team won 4-1 in Zimbabwe. But all this pales in comparison to their unbeaten run to win the T20 World Cup in June.

Friday’s T20I in Johannesburg will be their last outing in this format this year. Having taken an unassailable 2-1 lead during the four-match series, they will be keen to score a positive mark once again.

Until meeting India in the final in Barbados, South Africa were also undefeated in the T20 World Cup. But on both sides of the tournament, their performances have been disappointing. It can be argued that they were almost always missing one or more of their first choice players, but the same can be said of their opponents.

Even if they win on Friday, South Africa’s winless streak in the bilateral T20I series will rise to eight. However, 2-2 is much better than 3-1.

Form Guide

South Africa LWLLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)

India WLWWW

In the spotlight: Marco Jansen and Abhishek Sharma

Making his comeback from a shoulder problem, Marco Jansen was the South African player of the series. He may have picked up only three wickets, but his economy of 6.41 is the best for any bowler in the series. The fact that India registered 200+ totals twice in three matches makes Jansen’s performance even more impressive. He is also South Africa’s leading run-getter with 73 runs at a strike rate of 208.57. In Centurion, he almost completed an impossible run chase with his 16-ball half-century, the second-fastest for South Africa in this format.

Having failed to cross the 20-mark in his last seven T20I innings, Abhishek Sharma was under pressure heading into the third T20I. Sometimes he looked out of his depth, especially when facing hard pitches, and it seemed like he only had one gear. But in Centurion, his shot selection was much better as he scored a 50 off 25 balls to set the platform for a big total. With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill ahead of him in the pecking order, he will be aware that he cannot relax after just one good innings.

Team News: Peter coming back?

South Africa could consider bringing back homegrown player Nqabayomzi Peter for Gerald Coetzee.

South Africa (probable): 1 Ryan Rickelton, 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (captain), 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (week), 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Gerald Coetzee/Nqabayomzi Peter, 9 Andile Simelane, 10 Keshav Maharaj, 11 years old Lutho Sipamla

With Ramandeep Singh showing his worth with the bat in Centurion, India will be reluctant to make any changes.

India (probable): 1 Sanju Samson (week), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (captain), 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Ramandeep Singh, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Ravi Bishnoi, 11Varun Chakravarthy

Location and conditions: Rain may delay departure

Johannesburg is traditionally a high-scoring place. THE last time it hosted a T20I, in December 2023, India rode on Suryakumar Yadav’s hundred to post 201 for 7. However, South Africa were bowled out for just 95 in reply, with Kuldeep Yadav taking five wickets. Showers are forecast around 4 p.m. local time, half an hour before the draw. But it should be brief and we should have a complete match.

Stats and trivia: Arshdeep gets closer to Chahal

  • By 2024, India has crossed the 200 mark eight times – the most by any team in a single year.
  • Arshdeep Singh needs five more wickets to surpass Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is.
  • This year, Aiden Markram has 241 runs in 17 T20Is at an average of 16.06 and a strike rate of 120.50. The last time he scored a half-century in this format was 28 innings ago.
  • Tilak Varma’s 107 not out at Centurion was the 21st T20I hundred by an Indian batter. New Zealand (12) and Australia (11) are the only other teams to have ten tonnes T20I or more.

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