After an impressive pool campaign at the T20 World Cup, the Proteas now arrive to face their greatest challenge at the tournament so far as they take on hosts India in front of a sold out stadium.
It’s being billed as the biggest clash of the T20 Cricket World Cup so far. Huge stakes and a rematch of the 2024 decider.
India and South Africa are two of only three unbeaten teams, as they lock horns to commence their respective Super 8 campaigns.
The Proteas have the added motivation of avenging their loss to India in the 2024 decider, which they lost in heartbreaking fashion.
Play gets underway at 15:30 (SA time).
KEEP TRACK OF THE PROTEAS’ LIVE SCORING AGAINST INDIA
Calm and composed
Speaking on the eve of the clash, Proteas veteran Quinton de Kock said there is a feeling of widespread composure in the South Africa camp ahead of their blockbuster match.
“The team is quite settled,” de Kock told media. “We’ve been in Ahmedabad for quite a while. So we are kind of used to the environment.
“We’ve played a day game and a night game, yeah, so kind of understand the conditions. But I’m not saying I think it means too much because the Indian teams played here, through IPLs and a lot of them have played their whole career, so I don’t think it plays that much of a difference at the end of the day.
“These wickets have been a bit more seamer friendly. The spin has kind of travelled a little bit.”
De Kock also shed some light on how the team dealt with the grief of losing the 2024 final.
“To be honest, after that day, we just forgot about it, in all honesty,” he continued.
“I don’t think any of us really wanted to speak about it. Everyone went home and kind of went through their own process how to deal with it. We didn’t need to talk about it as a team. That’s pretty much it.
“We never really spoke about it. I think from there, I haven’t been around with the team since then, not much, so they probably have, but I’ve only just joined for the last couple of months. So as far as I know that’s all that’s happened.”
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