The ICC T20 World Cup 2024 title clash between India and South Africa is going to be an exciting affair featuring not only some of the biggest batting superstars of the game but also two of the most potent and scary bowling attacks of the tournament so far.
The two undefeated sides in this edition, India will take on South Africa in the T20 WC title clash at Barbados on Saturday. While Proteas recorded an authoritative nine-wicket defeat to end Afghanistan’s dream campaign, India took its revenge by defeating England by 68 runs in a repeat of the 2022 T20 WC semis clash.
South Africa’s bowling attack has outdone India by inches during this tournament. In their eight-match winning run, the Proteas have taken 59 wickets. These scalps have come at an average of 15.23 with a tight economy rate of 5.95.
Key contributors to this powerful bowling attack have been: Pacer Anrich Norje (13 wickets in eight games at an average of 13.46, with best figures of 4/7 and economy rate of 5/64), pacer Kagiso Rabada (12 wickets in eight games at an average of 13.25 and an economy rate of 5.88, with best figures of 3/18), spinners Tabraiz Shamsi (11 wickets in four games at an average of 9.27 and an economy rate of 7.37, with the best figures of 4/19) and Keshav Maharaj (Nine wickets in seven games at an average of 16.88 and economy rate of 6/08, with the best figures of 3/27). Pacers Marco Jansen and Ottneil Baartman (six wickets each) and skipper Aiden Markram (two wickets) are among other contributors.
For India, a total of 56 wickets came at an average of 15.21, slightly better than Proteas, however, the economy rate of Indian bowlers is a little higher at 6.42.
Two of the best bowlers of the tournament are pacers Arshdeep Singh (15 wickets in seven matches at an average of 13.00 and an economy rate of 7.50, with the best figures of 4/9) and Jasprit Bumrah (13 wickets in seven games at an average of 8.15 and an economy rate of 4.12, with the best figures of 3/7). Spinner Kuldeep Yadav has also chipped in with 10 wickets in just four games at an average of 9.40, an economy rate of 5.87 and best figures of 3/19 despite missing some games.
All-rounders Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya (eight scalps each) have also contributed to India’s wicket tally.
Squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal
South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton. (ANI)
