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India steamroll South Africa to clinch top spot

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Scintillating India march to eighth successive triumph | Match Highlights | CWC23

Powered by Kohli's record ton and a sizzling display from their bowlers, India downed South Africa with ease.

An attacking start from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill was supplemented by a brilliant ton from Virat Kohli and an attacking fifty from Shreyas Iyer. Courtesy of some late blows from Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, India finished over 300.

South Africa showed good fight in the field, plugging the flow of runs in the middle overs, but India were helped by a bright start and a strong finish.

Unbeaten Kohli smashes record century | POTM Highlights | CWC23

Highlights of the Virat Kohli hundred, an innings during which he equalled Sachin Tendulkar's record for most ODI centuries.

This was Kohli's 49th ODI century, making him the joint-highest century-maker in ODIs.

Kohli celebrates birthday with record 49th century | CWC23

Virat Kohli hit 10 boundaries during his 101*.

India bowlers struck immediately with the new ball, accounting for South Africa's top-order in the first Powerplay.

India 'on fire' as Kohli equals ODI hundreds record | Digital Daily: Episode 37 | CWC23

Digital Daily looks at India clinching top spot with a thumping victory over South Africa during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, with Ricky Ponting and ICC Digital Insider Tanvi Shah

Ravindra Jadeja (5/33) took centre stage thereafter, picking regular wickets to derail the Proteas' effort.

All-round Jadeja excels at Eden | CWC23

Ravindra Jadeaja fired with the bat and then picked a five-wicket haul.

Mohammed Siraj struck for India early on, when he got Quinton de Kock to play on in the very second over. The batter had just completed 1000 runs in Cricket World Cup, off the previous ball.

Siraj removes dangerous de Kock | CWC23

Mohammed Siraj got Quinton de Kock to play on early on in the South Africa innings.

India pacers further upped the pressure by stringing together a series of dot balls. Understanding the amount of turn available in the wicket, Rohit Sharma employed Ravindra Jadeja in the Powerplay. The move brought immediate dividends, as Jadeja cleaned the stumps of Temba Bavuma.

Jadeja rips one past Bavuma | CWC23

Ravindra Jadeja cleaned up the South Africa skipper for 11.

And Mohammed Shami finished the Powerplay with yet another wicket, getting Aiden Markram (9) to nick one behind the wicket.

India bowlers rip through South Africa batting | Innings Highlights | CWC23

Highlights of the South Africa innings, in which the African team was bowled out for 83.

Disciplined bowling ensured that India struck at regular intervals. Jadeja and Shami benefitted from sharp reviews that were taken on their behalf by Rohit.

India take sharp reviews to rattle the South Africa middle-order | CWC23

India's reviews came out well against South Africa.

When Jadeja cleaned up David Miller for 11, the South Africa chase was all but over. They were eventually bowled out in the 28th over.

Kohli ton powers India past 300 | CWC23

Virat Kohli scored his 49th ODI hundred, even as other batters made notable contributions in India's 326/5.

In the first innings, India batters were among the boundaries from the very first over, hitting eight fours in the first four overs. Rohit hit five of these boundaries.

He added another four and two beautiful sixes in the very next over, off Lungi Ngidi to lift India even further.

Rohit unleashes six fury against Ngidi | CWC23

Rohit Sharma hit two exquisite sixes against Lungi Ngidi in the fifth over of the game.

However, the skipper's aggressive takedown of the South Africa bowling lineup was eventually brought to an end in the sixth over. Rohit tried to take on Kagiso Rabada but was brilliantly caught by his opposite number, Temba Bavuma.

Rohit Sharma - Wicket - India vs South Africa

However, the run flow didn't stop as Virat Kohli, celebrating his 35th birthday, came to the crease and continued going for his shots.

It took Keshav Maharaj's excellence to dismiss Shubman Gill. He delivered a beauty which made Gill go towards the on-side and then beat his bat to trim the off-stump.

Magnificent Maharaj castles Gill with a beauty | CWC23

Keshav Maharaj bowled one of the best deliveries of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

As the South African spinners started making better use of the wicket, the scoring opportunities for the Indian batters reduced. From Gill's wicket up until the 25-over mark, Kohli and Iyer scored only three more boundaries.

Shackles were broken in the 28th over when Iyer hit Tabraiz Shamsi for a towering six. A set of boundaries flew from his bat as India upped their rate to over six an over.

Iyer targets Jansen as India pick up scoring rate | CWC23

Shreyas Iyer hit three boundaries in Marco Jansen's fifth over.

Kohli too picked pace, and India looked set for a total in excess of 300. However, Iyer's dismissal in the 37th over slowed down India's scoring rate.

Aggressive fifty from Iyer lifts India in Kolkata | CWC23

Highlights of Shreyas Iyer's 77, which included seven fours and two sixes.

The teams were tangled in a closely fought battle in the death overs, even as India tried to lift the scoring rate at the back of some attacking stroke-play from Suryakumar Yadav (22 from 13), while South Africa tried to pull things back with some tidy work in the field.

Van der Dussen ripper sends back Rahul | CWC23

A brilliant catch from Rassie van der Dussen

Big blows from Ravindra Jadeja helped India to 326/5, even as Kohli finished at 101*.

Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first in Kolkata. Temba Bavuma too wanted to bat first. There was only one change in the South Africa setup, with Tabraiz Shamsi coming in for Gerald Coetzee.

India are the only undefeated side in the tournament thus far but will be wary of Temba Bavuma's men, who have gone from strength to strength since their upset against the Netherlands in Dharamsala.

Virat Kohli fulfilling his destiny | CWC23

While the Men in Blue have been rocked by the loss of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami's form has been a big boost for them. The pacer has picked 14 wickets at a mind-boggling average of 6.71, especially bamboozling the batters under the lights.

South Africa's only concern, thus far, has been their form while chasing. In their two instances of batting second, they've lost a low-scoring encounter to the Dutch, while in the second game, they emerged victorious against Pakistan in Chennai by a wicket in hand.

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

**South Africa:**Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.

India take on South Africa in top-of-the-table showdown | Match 37 Preview | CWC23

India take on South Africa in top-of-the-table showdown | Match 37 Preview | CWC23

India vs South Africa - LeagueIndiaSouth AfricaICC Cricket World Cup, 2023Cricket World Cup