India v South Africa: Cricket World Cup 2023 – live

19th over: India 121-2 (Kohli 36, Shreyas 11) Maharaj draws another leading edge from Kohli that rolls into the off side for a single. He’s bowling with a lovely flight and confidence, Kohli and Shreyas haven’t felt secure enough to try even one big shot. Kuldeep and Jadeja are going to love bowling on this.

“Reg: Aravinda’s innings in the 1996 semi-final, most people in India and SL rate it very highly,” writes Anand. “As it wasn’t a hundred or close to it, might have gone under the radar for folks from other countries. Amazing counter attack and he changed the momentum after the early loss of openers. It is what the new breed of cricket data folks might call ‘a high impact innings’ and assign a number with two decimal places.”

Haha. That’s a good point about people from other countries – I was invested in Aravinda because of his wonderful, slightly heartbreaking season for my county, Kent, in 1995.

18th over: India 118-2 (Kohli 34, Shreyas 10) Kohli is beaten by a wide cutter from Ngidi. The next ball, even wider, is bottom-edged fine for four; that’s the first boundary since the Powerplay. It’s almost as if Ricky Ponting is one of the best analysts in the whole wide world.

“If South Africa were to win this, would it be the first time that a nation has been world champions in both cricket and rugby?” asks Jeremy Boyce, who can’t have been living in Australia in 199. “Either way, South Africa (and even more so Australia) achieve very high levels of success in a wide range of sports given their population size. India’s case is different. Their population is obviously many times that of SA and Aus combined, cricket is their No 1 sport by a very big distance and they are playing at home in front of their devoted following. That would make an SA (or Aus) win even more impressive.”

It would, although I do think India deserve a bit more acclaim for the quality of their performances so far. They’ve played some truly awesome cricket. As England know from 2019, it’s not easy being the hosts and the favourites. They won it in the end, but had India reviewed a caught behind when Jason Roy was on 21 at Edgbaston, they might have gone out in the group stage. That would have been an even bigger humiliation than this tournament. The margins are usually so fine, yet India have won all seven games handsomely.

17th over: India 111-2 (Kohli 27, Shreyas 10) Maharaj gets through his overs so quickly, usually while I’m trying to process an email, that I sometimes have no idea what happened. There were four singles from that over, I know that much. His figures are 4-0-12-1. There’s still a bit of turn, though nothing as extravagant as the Gill dismissal.

“Good morning Rob,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “Lose a World Cup final on boundary count. Lose a key match on DLS after scoring 401 due to DLS. Kane Williamson makes Odysseus look rich.”

He also makes Buddha look like a moaner. The man’s dignity is even more remarkable than his beard.

16th over: India 107-2 (Kohli 25, Shreyas 8) Ngidi replaces Rabada, who bowled a rot-stopping spell of 5-1-19-1. You’d expect his variations to be more effective as the ball gets older.

Two runs from another quiet over, and that’s drinks. It feels like this pair are still getting the measure of the pitch and trying to assess what would be a decent score. Kohli has 25 from 26 balls, mainly because of his fast start, and Shreyas 8 from 22.

15th over: India 105-2 (Kohli 24, Shreyas 7) “People of a certain vintage in India still remember the horrors of that 1996 semi-final at the Eden Gardens,” writes Anand. “That Gill dismissal took me right back to that evening, where I was watching the game and preparing for the Indian equivalent of O-levels. Luckily, I fared a bit better than India.”

I should hope so. You seem a lovely chap so I’d have been pretty disappointed if you had started a riot just because you didn’t like one of the question. Actually, looking at the scorecard (link above) again reminded of another classic innings from Aravinda de Silva: 66 from 47 balls, having arrived with Sri Lanka 1/2. He’s a little underrated historically, I think.

14th over: India 103-2 (Kohli 23, Shreyas 6) Kohli takes a single off Rabada to bring up the Indian hundred in just 79 balls. The South Africa fightback continues with another quiet over on a pitch that looks increasingly awkward. Ricky Ponting who couldn’t get the phrase “new-ball wicket” out of his mouth fast enough during the pitch inspections, knows of what he speaks.

13th over: India 99-2 (Kohli 21, Shreyas 4) Apparently Maharaj has a statgasmically good record against Kohli in ODIs, mainly in terms of economy rate. According to Cricinfo it’s 38 runs and two wickets from 62 balls, though I’m sure Mark Nicholas said there had only been four or five scoring strokes. SOMEBODY OUT THERE IS PEDDLING FALSE STATISTICAL INFORMATION.

Whatever the history, Maharaj will demand respect after that ball to Gill. Kohli gets a leading edge that lands safely on the off side; the rest of the over is played watchfully.

12th over: India 96-2 (Kohli 19, Shreyas 3) More good work from Rabada, who bowls five dot balls in six to thew new batter Shreyas Iyer.

“It’s my birthday too, though more than twice Rohit’s new age,” writes John Starbuck, rather reinforcing the point about his age by identifying the wrong birthday boy (it’s Kohli rather than Rohit). “As we’re dining out for luncheon, I shall have to catch up with this match via the matchless(?) OBO.”

Matchless? So your judgement has gone as well? I jest – many happy returns to a beloved OBO regular.

11th over: India 94-2 (Kohli 19, Shreyas 1) This is a good comeback from South Africa, who were looking down a dark, unforgiving barrel when India were 61/0 after five overs.

Spin spin sugar: Shubman Gill has been bowled by a stunning delivery from the new bowler Keshav Maharaj. It curved onto leg stump and spat viciously to beat Gill’s attempted flick and hit the top of off and middle. Gill was beaten so emphatically that he almost fell over. “Bishan Bedi would have been proud of that one,” says Mark Nicholas on commentary. It’s one of the balls of the tournament.

Gill stayed around while they made sure it had hit the stumps and not been deflected back onto them by Quinton de Kock. Replays showed it hit the top of the bails, so Gill goes for a 24-ball 23. That’s a good wicket for South Africa – but also, given they are batting last, a pretty ominous one.

10th over: India 91-1 (Gill 23, Kohli 18) Now it’s Rabada’s turn to suffer as Kohli hits successive boundaries with a lofted drive to the left of mid-off and a textbook on-drive. That was a Powerplay in name and nature from India: only Sri Lanka (94/2) have scored against South Africa in this World Cup.

9th over: India 82-1 (Gill 23, Kohli 9) Too short from Jansen, and Gill does the necessary through midwicket. He then takes a very sharp single to Bavuma at mid-off. The throw missed the stumps but I suspect Gill would have been just home.

Kohli continues the calculated assault on Jansen with a flick up and over midwicket for four. Jansen’s figures probably shouldn’t be published before the watershed: 4-0-43-0.

“Rohit seemed to be having a net at the Eden Gardens,” says Anand. “Ridiculous how easy he makes batting look and then gets... OUT! On a different note, why aren’t you on Twitter/X yet?”

It’s not really for me, though there is a Twitter account for a football (and occasionally cricket) podcast I sometimes do: @nessundormapod.

8th over: India 72-1 (Gill 18, Kohli 4) Another terrific over from Rabada. Kohli is beaten three times outside off stump and almost drags a defensive stroke onto the stumps. Inbetween he gets off the mark with a pristine cover drive for four, but there’s no doubt Rabada has had the better of the contest. So far.

7th over: India 68-1 (Gill 18, Kohli 0) It’s worth a reminder of South Africa’s preference for batting first. This year they’ve won ten and lost one when doing so, as compared to four wins and four defeats when chasing. The problem for the rest of the world is that India can do it either way: in 2023 they are 10-2 batting first, 12-3 fielding first.

Jansen changes ends to replace Ngidi (3-0-34-0). After three dot balls, Gill runs down the track to wallop six over long on. There wasn’t much wrong with that delivery, and in fact those are the only runs from a pretty decent over.

6th over: India 62-1 (Gill 12, Kohli 0) The new batter is Virat Kohli, 35 today. That’s a fine start from Rabada: one over, one leg bye, one wicket. Who says it’s the loneliest number?

Marco Jansen, such a danger in the Powerplay, has been bullied out of the attack after just two overs. Kagiso Rabada replaces him – and strikes with his fifth ball. Rohit, trying to dominate, smashed him towards mid-off, where Bavuma crouched to take a very sharp catch. My word South Africa needed that.

Rohit goes after another tone-setting cameo, 40 from 24 balls this time. He’s usually the man for an ODI century but in this tournament he has played a slightly different role.

5th over: India 61-0 (Rohit 40, Gill 12) Rohit belts an Ngidi full toss over midwicket for the ninth four in the last 23 deliveries, then lifts the first six into the crowd at backward square leg. It was a wretched delivery, outside leg stump, but Rohit couldn’t have timed it better in a computer game.

Awp, there’s six more, hoicked off a length over square leg. Rohit has 40 from 22 balls, and the last four overs have disappeared for 56. Even by India’s standards, this is awesome.

4th over: India 45-0 (Rohit 24, Gill 12) Ricky Ponting said firmly that the Powerplay would be the best time to bat. The man knows his cricket. Rohit pulls and drags Jansen for four, either side of another wide. And then, as if to show the game is being played on his terms, he plays an immaculate forward defensive.

That might have been the penultimate delivery of Rohit’s innings. He threw everything at a wide delivery and sliced it down to third man, where Shamsi couldn’t take a very difficult low chance. The ball came to him almost on the half volley.

3rd over: India 35-0 (Rohit 15, Gill 12) Yeah, India will bat first all right. Rohit leathers Ngidi for successive boundaries over point and through extra cover, then Gill joins in with a wristy clip through midwicket. That’s a gorgeous shot. Gill has only faced seven balls but he looks in exquisite touch. Thirteen from the over.

2nd over: India 22-0 (Rohit 6, Gill 8) Marco Jansen, the Powerplay specialist, shares the new ball. He’s taken 12 wickets in the first 10 overs at this World Cup; only Dilshan Madushanka (7) has half as many.

After that build-up, Jansen starts with an angst-ridden 10-ball over. He bowls three consecutive wides – two on the leg side, one of which flies for four, and another outside off stump. Gill waves a dreamy cover drive for four; then, after another wide, he flicks a very good inswinger through midwicket for four more. Seventeen from the over.

“Morning Rob, morning all,” writes Deepak Puri. “I’m on the sofa with an unlimited supply of tea and half a packet of generic custard creams. Let’s get ready to rumba. Or rumble. Or whatever.”

You’re settling down for an eight-hour game with half a packet of custard creams? I’d have polished them off in the course of that Jansen over.

1st over: India 5-0 (Rohit 5, Gill 0) An interesting first over, with plenty of movement and bounce for Ngidi. Rohit drives a dazzling boundary over extra cover and then edges a lifter through the vacant gully region at catchable height.

“Great match today, hope it is exciting and doesn’t fizzle out soon,” writes Anand. “Regarding the toss, a case can be made for India to bat or bowl. Bowl first to assess how they can counter SA who score 350 consistently and not to give them a chance to chase. As someone who is worried India is winning everything, I think India have gotten the best of everything this match and will be lulled into a false sense of security come the knockout stages.”

I know what you mean but the best way to undermine South Africa ahead of a potential final is surely to hammer them here. You probably know more than me on this subject, but I’d be very surprised if a team managed by Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma allowed themselves to be lulled into a false sense of security.

I think India’s biggest threat is doubt caused by their weirdly poor record in ICC knockout games. If they are batting first against, say, Australia in a semi-final and are reduced to 30 for two, the mind could start to play tricks.

Lungi Ngidi has a new ball, Rohit Sharma is holding a bat. Shall we?

“Morning Rob, morning all,” writes Em Jackson. “My two rupees (or rand): all India and RSA will want to do is walk away from this game with no back spasms for De Kock, no broken fingers for Kohli and broken toes for Bumrah & Rabada.

“No one wants to see injuries fell the two best sides so far in a dead rubber after all (but a crisis could well bring opportunity for someone). Mind you, Dharamshala aside, is there any greater ground to play a dead rubber than Eden Gardens, Kolkata? Admittedly, that may well be my Knight Riders bias showing there a little.”

I’ll see your Eden Gardens and raise you the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury Queenstown, New Zealand.

The pitch

Ricky Ponting thinks that, independent of the psychology, batting first is a significant advantage for India on a dry, used pitch that should take spin. Ponting also reckons the easiest time to score runs will be against the new balls.

India are unchanged. South Africa bring in another spinner: Tabraiz Shamsi for Gerald Coetzee.

India Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj.

South Africa de Kock (wk), Bavuma (c), van der Dussen, Markram, Klaasen, Miller, Jansen, Maharaj, Rabada, Ngidi, Shamsi.

“It’s not about the pitch but what we want to do as a team,” says the captain Rohit Sharma, which loosely translates as “These buggers score 350+ every time somebody puts them in, do you think I came into this life yesterday?”

“Looking at the wicket, we would have batted first,” says the South African captain Temba Bavuma, which loosely translates as “We’d probably have batted first at Johannesburg in 1999”.

Ali Martin’s World Cup diary

Good morning. Let’s start with a paradox: the first dead rubber of the 2023 World Cup is also one of its most keenly anticipated games. India and South Africa have already qualified for semi-finals, which is precisely why this game is so mouthwatering. They have been the two best teams in the tournament, monstrously impressive in different ways. Now, on the 32nd day of the World Cup, they get to test one another’s mettle.

This might a dead rubber in terms of qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-finals, but that doesn’t mean it’s without practical significance. The winner (almost certainly) will top the league table and the loser (probably) will face Australia in the semi-finals. While neither team will fear the Aussies, the alternative is probably preferable.

Today’s game won’t decide who wins the World Cup, but it might give us a big fat clue – especially as there’s every chance India and South Africa will meet again in the final. It’s a fine day to put down a marker.

The match begins at 8.30am UK time, 2pm in Kolkata.