🏏India tour of South Africa:1st T20I at Kingsmead Durban Nov 8🏏 - Page 3

The focus shifts from Test cricket to T20 cricket as Team India take on South Africa in the 1st T20I match at the Kingsmead Stadium today. The 4-match T20I series will see both sides meeting each other for the first time since the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados, where the Proteas will be eager for a possible revenge.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will look to continue his spell with another win as captain following a series victory over Bangladesh earlier. It will be interesting to see which one of the uncapped stars—Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, or Ramandeep Singh gets to make his debut on the night.

Both India and South Africa are wounded sides going into this series. South Africa have never really recovered from their shock loss to India in the T20 World Cup final, losing 3-0 to West Indies and drawing 1-1 against Ireland. On the other hand, India's T20I side have gone on a run of 10 consecutive wins but the Test team's recent debacle against New Zealand will be hanging on them as they take on the tough task of beating South Africa in their backyard.

In what could be a high-octane rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final, South Africa are preparing to host India at Kingsmead in Durban as the two teams begin their four-match T20I series to kick off South Africa’s big home summer. Although there are plenty of personnel changes between that tense and famous World Cup final and the teams that will be put out onto the field on Friday, there will still be the air of this being something of a revenge series for the Proteas following the heartbreak at Barbados.

India almost scale Mount 300

India vs South Africa 1st T20I LIVE score: That is what happened the last time that this side played. India batted first in the third T20I against Bangladesh in Hyderabad and well, nothing else mattered. Sanju Samson blasted 111 runs in 47 balls while Suryakumar smashed 75 in 35. The pair put up a partnership of 173 runs in a scarcely believable 70 balls. The carnage continued after they were dismissed though, with Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag putting up a 70 runs in 26 balls for the fourth wicket. It looked like 300 was very much on the cards but in the end, India's innings ended at 297/6. Bangladesh made a respectable 164/7 in reply and even then, they lost by 133 runs.

Suryakumar Yadav supremacy

India vs South Africa 1st T20I LIVE score: Over 150 players have scored more than 1000 runs in T20Is. Not one of them have a career strike rate higher than Suryakumar Yadav's 169.48. His current average of 42.40 is the third highest among batters with more than 2000 T20I runs, with only Mohammad Rizwan (48.72) and Virat Kohli (48.69) ranking higher. It has to be noted, though, that Rizwan's strike rate is 126.45 while Kohli retired with a strike rate of 137.04.

South Africa's T20 World Cup stars return

India vs South Africa 1st T20I LIVE score: This is the first time that South Africa will be able to field seven of the 11 players who played in the T20 World Cup final. The only ones who aren't there are Kagiso Rabada, who has been rested, the retired Quinton de Kock, and Tabraiz Shamsi and Anrich Nortje, who haven't been selected.

Indian jersey worn during practice looks better than the actual one worn during the match.

KL Rahul set to be a father in 2025.. congratulations to them.💐💐

Originally posted by: Rosyme

KL Rahul set to be a father in 2025.. congratulations to them.💐💐

India just lost a home Test series for the first time in 12 years, all the chat lately has been about the BGT starting in two weeks time and India's chances of making it to the WTC final, but all that can take a backseat for a week as the finalists from this year's T20 World Cup face off in a 4-match T20 series. It's hard to give context to these four games but let's try.. This series provides another opportunity for Suryakumar Yadav and his young side to keep the winning consistency going. The start has been good with wins against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but South Africa away will be their toughest challenge. It is also a chance for the new players to make a mark. The likes of Ramandeep, Yash Dayal and Vyshak can make the most of these games. South Africa too are missing some of their key players Quinton de Kock, Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Shamsi - who were all part of the World Cup squad are not there due to various reasons. They also come into this series having lost 3-0 to the West Indies and drawing a series against Ireland. Their main focus would be to get back to winning ways and hopefully along the way avenge the World Cup loss. The toss and teams coming up..

Pitch and Conditions: "It is an overcast evening in Durban. There is a strong breeze going across the ground and the teams should be vary of that. The wicket is very hard and the ball is going to carry through nicely. I would prefer to bowl first and see if there's any help for the pacers. And there's a slight chance of rain later on," reckons Shaun Pollock.

South Africa have won the toss and have opted to field