As the two sides step into the final undefeated, let’s take a look at their previous encounters in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
India and South Africa are set to face off in a thrilling encounter with both teams determined to lift the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy.
With the final set to take place at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on 29 June, 10:30 am local time, let’s take a look at how the two teams have fared against each other on the biggest stage of T20 International cricket.
India won by 37 runs, Durban, 2007
In the inaugural edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup, South Africa locked horns with India in their final Group E fixture, having proceeded that far unbeaten.
But India’s 37-run win over them cost Proteas a semi-final berth as they finished third in their Group, level on points (4) with second-placed New Zealand and group toppers India, who went ahead thanks to their superior net run rate.
Batting first, India put 153 runs on the board with Rohit Sharma (50* runs in 40 balls) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (45 runs in 33 balls) starring with the bat, while Shaun Pollock picked up a couple of wickets for South Africa.
Indian bowlers struck early in the second innings, leaving the Proteas tottering at 31/5. Despite the efforts of Mark Boucher (36 runs in 41 balls) and Albie Morkel (36 runs in 37 balls), India took the game with ease.
South Africa won by 12 runs, Nottingham, 2009
The two teams met again two years later in another Group E contest in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2009, when the Proteas avenged their loss.
Both India and South Africa had proceeded into the second round undefeated but India hit a roadblock, suffering losses in all three matches at this stage, failing to make it through to the Semi-Finals.
South Africa set a decent target of 131 runs in trying conditions, courtesy of a memorable knock from AB de Villiers, who scored 63 runs off 51 balls. For India, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja all picked up a wicket each.
Defending the target, South Africa prevented any of the Indian batters from clicking with Johan Botha and Dale Steyn stealing the spotlight with the ball. Botha picked up three wickets, while Steyn picked 2/25, leading South Africa to a 12-run win.
India won by 14 runs, Gros Islet, 2010
India and South Africa were placed in the same group in the opening round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2010.
A remarkable century from Suresh Raina (101 runs in 60 balls), the first ever in the format by an Indian, supported by Yuvraj Singh (37 runs in 30 balls) and a quickfire 16* runs off 6 balls from MS Dhoni helped the Men in Blue to set a 187-run target.
Although Jaques Kallis (73 runs in 54 balls), Graeme Smith (36 runs in 28 balls) and AB de Villiers (31 runs in 15 balls) put up a fight, the Indian bowlers restricted them to 172/5.
India won by 1 run, Colombo, 2012
In their fourth successive meeting in the tournament, both sides qualified for the second round undefeated but neither made it past this stage with South Africa failing to get any points and India losing on net-run-rate to Pakistan and Australia with all three teams having registered 4 points.
Suresh Raina (45 runs in 34 balls) and MS Dhoni (23 runs in 13 balls) gave India a strong finish in the first innings with 152 runs on the scoreboard. For the Proteas, both Morne Morkel and Robin Peterson picked up two wickets apiece.
In the second innings, overshadowing Faf du Plessis’s knock of 65 runs off 38 balls, it was yet again the Indian bowlers who stole the spotlight with Zaheer Khan and Lakshmipathy Balaji picking up three wickets each and Yuvraj Singh supporting them with a two-wicket haul.
Fourteen runs were needed off the final over and despite sending the ball out of the park twice, the Proteas by the barest of margins after Balaji accounted for the wickets of the Morkel brothers.
India won by 6 wickets, Mirpur, 2014
India and South Africa both made it to the Semi-finals of the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2014. India went in undefeated, while South Africa sustained a single loss, to Sri Lanka in the group stage.
Batting first, the Proteas got to a formidable total of 172. Faf du Plessis (58 runs in 41 balls) and Jean-Paul Duminy (45 runs in 40 balls) starred with the bat along with David Miller, who ensured them a strong finish with a quickfire 23 runs off 12 balls. Ravichandran Ashwin scalped three wickets for the MS Dhoni-led team.
While chasing, the Indian batters displayed a well-balanced performance with Rohit Sharma (24 runs in 13 balls) and Ajinkya Rahane (32 runs in 30 balls) leading the way, followed by a brilliant knock by Chase Master Virat Kohli (72* runs in 44 balls) and a blistering 21 runs off 10 balls from Suresh Raina, as India went on to win the match by 6 wickets with five balls in hand.
South Africa won by 5 wickets, Perth, 2022
In the Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, India made it through to the Semi-Finals quite comfortably, suffering their only loss in the Super 12 stage against South Africa.
Despite a Suryakumar Yadav special (68 runs off 40 balls), lack of support from the other end and a strong bowling display by South Africa restricted India to 133/9. Lungi Ngidi (4/29) and Wayne Parnell (3/15) shared seven wickets between them on a pacy wicket.
Aiden Markram (52 runs in 41 balls) and David Miller (59 runs in 46 balls) led the Proteas past the finishing line as South Africa won the match by five wickets with two balls to spare.
SOURCED FROM THE ICC WEBSITE.
