South Africa’s multi-format series against hosts India gets underway at 1:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST) on the 16th of June 2024, with the 1st of 3 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. The ODI series will be followed by a 4-day one-off red-ball Test match and 3 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), all in Chennai.
Squads:
India – Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Priya Punia
South Africa – Laura Wolvaardt (C), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine De Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke De Ridder, Sinalo Jafta (WK), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker
Players to watch out:
Smriti Mandhana
The 27-year-old opening batter, averaging 42.65, has amassed 3242 runs from 82 ODI innings and registered the highest score of 135. Smriti’s most recent ODI outing dates back to January 2024, and she has played a lot of T20 cricket of late. She has consistently been amongst runs in her T20 outings and will be counted on to carry that form into this series.
Radha Yadav
The 22-year-old left-arm off-spinner made her ODI debut when South Africa last toured India in 2021 but hasn’t played an ODI since. However, her numbers in the shortest format see her with 78 wickets from 69 T20I outings at an economy rate of 6.49. She was in outstanding form in the ’23-24 domestic season and will be backed to replicate it.
Marizanne Kapp
The 34-year-old all-rounder in ODIs, from 122 innings, has racked up 2911 runs at an average of 33.84. From 136 bowling outings, she has struck 157 wickets at an economy rate of 3.80. Marizanne finished wicketless in her previous 3 ODIs, and her batting scores read 6, 77*, and 36. For South Africa to have a successful series, Kapp will have to step up her efforts.
Nadine de Klerk
The 24-year-old all-rounder, from 29 ODI innings, has accumulated 473 runs, including the highest score of 60. With the ball, from 35 outings, she has picked up 47 wickets, with the best figures being 4/32. Featuring in the English domestic season in the lead-up to this series, she has been amongst runs and wickets and can be relied upon for contributions with both bat and ball.
Pitch:
The wicket at Chinnaswamy Stadium provides a certain degree of assistance to the batters. Although it is a batting-friendly surface, the average score at the venue remains in the 230s, indicating opportunities for bowlers, especially spinners, to exploit.
Weather:
The temperature is forecasted to be around 28°C with humidity at 67% and moderate winds. With a high chance of rain during the later stages of the game, expect rain delays and interruptions if the skies don’t clear.
Fantasy playing XI:
Richa Ghosh, Laura Wolvaardt, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Suné Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Deepti Sharma, Nadine De Klerk, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil
Match details:
Date – June 16, 2024
Time – 1:30 PM IST
Venue – Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Broadcast – The game will be live streamed on the JioCinema app and website and broadcasted on Sports18.