ICC World Cup 2019 Match 8, India vs South Africa, statistical preview: Can Kohli keep his World Cup run going?

India’s first match of ICC World Cup 2019, against South Africa at the Rose Bowl, Southampton on June 5, will be the eighth of the tournament. South Africa have already played two matches, against England and Bangladesh, and have lost both. Ahead of the clash, here is a statistical preview.

Statistical preview

0 instances of South Africa batting first against India in the World Cup.

0.739 win-loss ratio of India against South Africa (34 wins, 46 defeats), their 2nd-worst against any team. India have a ratio of 0.636 against Australia.

1 win for India against South Africa in World Cup cricket, in 2015. South Africa have won the other three, in 1992, 1999, and 2011.

1 catch needed by Virat Kohli (19) to become the leading outfielder in India-South Africa ODIs. Graeme Smith has also held 19 catches.

2 stumpings needed by MS Dhoni (5) to top the list for India in World Cups. Kiran More has 6 stumpings. However, Dhoni has held 32 catches compared to More’s 18. To put things into perspective, the entire South African team has 3 World Cup stumpings in their history, by Dave Richardson, Morne van Wyk, and Quinton de Kock.

2 World Cups for Kohli and he has scored hundreds in his first match in both editions: 100* vs Bangladesh at Mirpur in 2011 and 107 against Pakistan at Adelaide in 2015. India won both matches.

2 decided matches (out of 5!) for South Africa at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, of which they have won 1 (against Zimbabwe in 2003) and lost 1 (against India in Champions Trophy 2013). Two matches, both against England (in 2008 and 2012), were washed out, while a 2013 Champions Trophy match against West Indies had ended in a famous tie.

3 dismissals needed by Dhoni (30 catches, 10 stumpings) to replace Mark Boucher (40 catches, 2 stumpings) at the top of the list of most dismissals in India-South Africa ODIs.

3 win-loss ratio of India at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (3 wins, 1 defeat). They had lost to England (in 2011) before beating South Africa, Sri Lanka (both in Champions Trophy 2013), and England (in 2014).

5.36 run rate at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Both India and South Africa have scored at 6.05 here.

6 wickets needed by Imran Tahir (33) to become the leading wicket-taker for South Africa in World Cups. Allan Donald has 38.

33 wickets shared by Kuldeep Yadav (17 at 13.88) and Yuzvendra Chahal (16.37) in the last bilateral series between the sides, in South Africa. The other Indian bowlers had combined to take another 18. India won the series 5-1.

40 runs needed by David Miller (2,960) to reach 3,000-run mark. He will become the 17th South African and 153rd overall to reach there. Of the 17 men, Miller’s strike rate of 100.7 is next to only AB de Villiers’ 101.27.

47 runs needed by Kohli (10,843) to go past Rahul Dravid (10,890) and secure 9th spot on the list of all-time run getters. However, 46 of Dravid’s runs were for ICC World XI and 75 for Asia XI.

77 runs needed by Hashim Amla (7,923) to reach the 8,000-run mark – if he plays, of course. Only three South Africans – Jacques Kallis (11,579), de Villiers (9,577), and Herschelle Gibbs (8,094) – have been there. He will also become the 32nd in the world to reach the milestone.

109 runs needed by Kohli (1,269) to secure 3rd spot in maximum run-getters in India-South Africa ODIs. He will go past Dravid (1,309), Sourav Ganguly (1,313), de Villiers (1,357), and Gary Kirsten (1,377) en route. Only Sachin Tendulkar (2,001) and Kallis (1,535) have more runs. Amla (932) needs 68 to reach 1,000 in these matches.

175 innings needed by Kohli to reach 8,000 ODI runs. Kohli is the fastest to the landmark. However, Amla, currently on 7,923 from 172 innings, can break his record if he reaches there in the next two innings.