Right then, India have posted a really good total on the board and if there is no dew, they will be confident enough to defend this on their turning track. South Africa haven’t chased well in this World Cup but they have enough quality to do so in this game. However, they do have a huge task on their hand if they want to make a statement and break the unbeaten run of the hosts. Join us in a bit to see how the chase unfolds.
The man of the moment, Virat Kohli is up for a chat. He says that it was a wicket that was tricky to bat on but they got a fast start. Adds that he tried to build on it but after the first 10 overs, it got tougher to bat on and he and Shreyas Iyer started to build a stand. Mentions that the plan was to build a stand and he and Shreyas had a lot of practice sessions leading up to the Asia Cup and he reckoned that this partnership could be crucial for the side. Adds that you need to get to a stage where the opposition is put under pressure and applauds Shreyas for playing the way he did. Says that it is amazing to achieve the 49th ton on his birthday and that too in front of such a brilliant crowd feels blessed. Ends by saying that the ball gripped in the middle phase and they have the runs on the board and a quality bowling attack to defend this total.
South Africa, on the other hand, were initially blown away by the Indian openers and things didn’t look that great for them. However, Kagiso Rabada got that first breakthrough straight after coming into the attack and Keshav Maharaj followed it up with a dream dismissal of Shubman Gill. Although, the spinners kept the runs in check in the middle overs but they couldn’t pick up wickets which let the batters get used to the wicket and attack them once they got set. Lungi Ngidi did manage to get rid of Shreyas Iyer but Virat Kohli proved to be a tough nut to crack. We saw Boult and Afridi having an off day in the New Zealand and Pakistan game and another left-arm pacer in Marco Jansen also had an off day in this match as he was very expensive but managed to get a wicket as well. Tabraiz Shamsi also chipped in with one but they have conceded a lot of runs and it is up to their batters now to put on a show at the Eden Gardens if they want to get anything out of this game.
India got off to an absolute flying start with both Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill dealing only in boundaries. They added 62 runs for the first wicket in no time before Rohit was dismissed after an entertaining 40. Virat Kohli joined Gill and maintained the momentum before Gill got out to a ripper of a delivery from Keshav Maharaj. Then the birthday boy and Shreyas Iyer had to work hard for every run as the spinners started to put pressure on them. They kept their patience and did not throw their wickets away and also rotated the strike well to get through that tough phase. Both the batters registered fine fifties and Iyer took responsibility to up the ante and started attacking the bowlers. They built up a 134-run partnership but unfortunately, Iyer lost his wicket after scoring a gritty 77. Kohli held one end nicely and finally got to his 49th ODI ton on a special occasion and on the ground where it all started. He remained unbeaten on 101 while a couple of quick-fire knocks from Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja got them to a a massive score in the end.
Take a bow, KING KOHLI! The chase master has chased down the master. He has equalled the record of the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar of 49 ODI hundreds and makes his 35th birthday even more special. The Men in Blue will surely be the happier side going into the break.
49.6 overs (1 Run) Just the single to end but 17 runs come off the final over! Very full and at the batter, Virat Kohli walks toward the ball and meets it on the full before flicking it away through mid-wicket. Kohli tries to push for two but it’s never on and they stay content with the single. India finish with 326/5 on the board!
49.5 overs (1 Run) Full and straight, gets it pretty bang on this time, Ravindra Jadeja hits it away firmly toward long on for just a single this time.
49.4 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Ravindra Jadeja is spitting fire and India are putting on a mammoth total here. Full and wide this time, Jadeja creams this one past the diving fielder at cover and then beats the diving fielder at wide long on as well to find the fence.
49.3 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Not a single man moved! Full and straight, doesn’t quite get it in the blockhole. Ravindra Jadeja clears the front leg and drills it to the right of long on for another boundary. 11 already off the final over.
Halt! Lungi Ngidi is holding his hamstring and it is not looking good as he sits down on the ground. Unfortunately, he has to leave the field with that injury as they do not want to take any chances. Marco Jansen will finish the over.
49.2 overs (6 Runs) SIX! Oh, what a sweet sound off the bat! Another slower delivery, pitched up right in the slot around off and in the hitting arc. Ravindra Jadeja is just waiting for the slower one, he then sits down and clobbers it away into the stands over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie.
49.2 overs (1 Run) Wide! Full and wide outside off, a bit too wide and goes beyond the tramline.
49.1 overs (0 Run) Swing and a miss! Comes from around the wicket and serves a fuller delivery outside off, angling it in and the ball is taken off the ball as well. Ravindra Jadeja dances down the track and looks to throw the kitchen sink at it but is well beaten.
Who will bowl the last over? It will be Lungi Ngidi (8-0-56-1). Can he keep India under 320?
48.6 overs (0 Run) Excellent delivery! Kagiso Rabada hones in on middle stump and nails the yorker, Virat Kohli can only manage to dig it out back to the bowler.
48.5 overs (1 Run) Full and outside off, gets it full enough. Ravindra Jadeja looks to clear the front leg but can only manage to jam it out toward extra cover for a single.
48.4 overs (2 Runs) A slower bumper, following the batter down leg, this is pulled away in front of the man at deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
48.3 overs (1 Run) THERE IT IS! THE BIRTHDAY BOY HAS DONE IT! THE RECORD-EQUALLING 49TH ODI TON! Good length outside off, Virat Kohli punches this one away in front of cover-point and gets across for the single. The crowd goes wild and Kohli soaks in all the applause. What a knock and what a player, truly sensational! 
48.2 overs (1 Run) Very full on middle and leg, Ravindra Jadeja clips it away well in front of mid-wicket for a single.
48.1 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Thunderous from Jadeja! Short and over middle and leg, Jadeja hangs back and muscles it away through backward square leg for a boundary.
47.6 overs (1 Run) Shorter one on middle and leg, clubbed along the ground down to long on for a single. The 300 is now up for India!
47.5 overs (1 Run) Just the single there! Floated on around middle, worked away off the back foot and with the turn toward deep mid-wicket for a single. Virat Kohli moves on to 99 now.
47.4 overs (1 Run) Drops it shorter and around off, Ravindra Jadeja rocks back and taps it away through cover-point for yet another single.
47.3 overs (1 Run) Nicely bowled! Nagging length on middle, turning in, Virat Kohli goes on the back foot and nudges it down past leg slip for a single.
47.2 overs (1 Run) A tad bit short and outside off, eased off the back foot through point for a run.
47.1 overs (2 Runs) Floated up on off stump, turning away, Ravindra Jadeja sits down and plays the dab down toward fine leg for a couple of runs.
46.6 overs (0 Run) Good comeback! Kagiso Rabada nails the yorker around off, Virat Kohli jams it out to the left of the bowler and looks for one which isn’t there.
46.5 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Waits, waits and puts it away! This is slower and shorter outside off, Virat Kohli hangs back and then just lays into the shot. Kohli slaps it away well wide of the man at sweeper cover and picks up a boundary. Moves on to 97.
46.4 overs (1 Run) A well-directed short ball over leg stump, hurrying the batter. Ravindra Jadeja mistimes the pull through backward square leg and gets a run.
46.3 overs (1 Run) Bowls it a bit fuller and on the stumps, Virat Kohli stylishly flicks it away through mid-wicket and picks up a single.
46.2 overs (1 Run) Leg bye! Hard length on leg stump, Ravindra Jadeja looks to flick it away but misses. The ball thuds into the thigh pad and rolls away toward square leg. They get a leg bye.
46.1 overs (1 Run) Back of a length, a bit more shorter and slower over the stumps, Virat Kohli hops back and keeps it down toward mid on for a single.
Ravindra Jadeja walks out to bat now.
45.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT! A big effort from Quinton de Kock to take that catch and Tabraiz Shamsi sends Suryakumar Yadav packing at a vital time. Shamsi tosses this one up on a length and around off, trying to turn it back in. SKY looks to play the reverse sweep but gets himself into a real tangle. The ball takes the glove and lobs up around short leg. De Kock scurries across and puts in a full-length dive to pouch it just before the ball hits the turf. It is sent upstairs to be checked and everything seems fine.
Is that out? The umpires want to check if Quinton de Kock has taken that catch cleanly or not. The replay clearly shows that Sky has gloved it and the catch is also a fair one. Suryakumar Yadav has to walk back to the hut now.
45.5 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Beautiful! Just a tad short and around off, Suryakumar Yadav picks the wrong’un and goes back in his crease to play an old-fashioned late cut through backward point and picks up yet another boundary.
45.4 overs (1 Run) Floated up fuller and on off stump, driven with a straight bat down to long off for one more by Kohli.
45.3 overs (1 Run) Pushed through flatter and around off, sliding on, Suryakumar Yadav eases it through the cover region for one.
45.2 overs (1 Run) Short again, around middle this time and pulled away in front of mid-wicket for a single.
45.1 overs (0 Run) Shorter in length on middle and leg, turning in, Virat Kohli yet again misses out as he looks to work it away off the back foot.
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