South Africa vs India

‘Indian cricket future in safe hands’- Fans react as India thump South Africa with 200 balls remaining

Social media reacts as India managed a convincing victory over South Africa in first ODI.

Dec 17, 2023 7:25 pm

India’s cricket team showcased a stellar performance in the opening match of the ODI series against South Africa at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on December 17. After a T20 series draw, India set the tone for the ODIs by restricting the Proteas to a mere 116 runs and securing an emphatic 8-wicket victory.

After squaring the T20I series 1-1 against South Africa with a resounding 106-run triumph in the concluding T20I, India again produced a clinical show in Johannesburg as they hammered the Proteas in a one-sided affair. For the ODIs against the Proteas, India is fielding a comparatively youthful and less seasoned squad, given that many key players are gearing up for the upcoming Test series that follows the initial white-ball segment of the tour yet managed to get a comfortable victory over the Proteas at their home turf yet managing such a comfortable victory speaks volume about the depth in Indian cricket.

It was the special pink day match and South Africa elected to bat first on what was expected to be a slowish track but Arshdeep proved otherwise and took a fifer on a spicy double paced track. Arshdeep Singh’s clinched his first five-wicket haul in international cricket against South Africa and his exceptional figures of 5/37 in 10 overs played a crucial role in dismantling the Proteas’ batting lineup for a paltry score of 116 runs.

Emerging stars and dominant display: India’s convincing triumph sets the tone for ODI series

Arshdeep Singh’s early dismissals of key Proteas batsmen, including Hendricks, Dussen, Zorzi, and Klaasen, disrupted South Africa’s batting rhythm. His ability to break partnerships and maintain burstiness played a pivotal role in India’s dominance.

Complementing Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan proved instrumental with his four-wicket haul, adding to the Proteas’ batting woes. Avesh Khan’s disciplined bowling prevented the Proteas from building substantial partnerships. His consistent line and length added to the burstiness, limiting South Africa’s scoring opportunities.

In the chase, India’s ODI debutant, Sai Sudharsan, played a crucial role, scoring an impressive 55 runs along with Shreyas Iyer’s aggressive batting style as he contributed 52 runs, guiding India towards a comfortable victory.

The team’s well-rounded performance, both in bowling and batting, signalled their intent for the rest of the ODI series and got the social media going as fans were ecstatic by the Indian team’s clinical performance.

Here are some of the best tweets from fans on X:

India cricket future in safe hands

— мυѕѕαωαя вυтт (@IsHQ_QaTil) December 17, 2023

Congratulations
Reserved Sunday to watch an ODI match, ended up watching a T20 😆
Now need to plan something else for rest of the Sunday 😁

— Being Indian 🇮🇳 (@SunilSa02606284) December 17, 2023

Huge victory this by team India. The bowling was exceptional. Sai Sudarshan made the most of his debut. Looked so comfortable at this level. #SAvIND

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) December 17, 2023