KOLKATA, Nov 4: The top spot is at stake and an unconquered Indian team will certainly feel a sense of deja vu when it takes on a red-hot South Africa on Sunday in what will be a battle of equals in the World Cup.
It promises to be a fascinating contest and Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin can’t escape that “been there in this position” feeling since they were part of the World Cup squad that had a similar run in 2011.
The only game that India had lost in the 2011 edition was against South Africa when an unheralded Robin Peterson had smashed Ashish Nehra for 19 runs after Indian batting imploded in Nagpur despite a hundred from Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli, who is one short of record-equalling 49th ODI hundred, and Ashwin are the only players in the current squad who were part of India’s title-winning run.
On Sunday, Rohit Sharma’s players need to guard themselves from complacency and emulate the all-conquering Australian team of 2007 which won the World Cup without losing a single game.
A win and 16 points would confirm India’s top spot with a match left against the Netherlands.
The die-hard Indian fans however won’t mind ‘Law of Averages’ catching up before the knock-out stage and not feel the heat when it matters most.
South Africa’s batting line-up, filled with power-hitters and game-changers will test India’s ‘pace galacticos’ before the semi-finals.
An unprecedented demand of tickets has added to the excitement to the Eden contest which in bigger picture will determine the group toppers heading into the semifinals. (PTI)
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