Centurion ODI: India opt to bat first in dead-rubber

India have won the toss and opted to bat first in the dead-rubber sixth and final ODI of the six-match series against South Africa at the SuperSport Park here on Friday.

Written by: ANI
Published: February 16, 2018, 5:03 PM IST

Centurion [South Africa], Feb 16 (ANI): India have won the toss and opted to bat first in the dead-rubber sixth and final ODI of the six-match series against South Africa at the SuperSport Park here on Friday.

After winning the toss, Indian skipper Virat Kohli said, “As a batting unit, we want to embrace the pressure of chasing. We want to get used to the mindset and get out of the comfort zone and want the bowlers to get used to a situation they might encounter in a crunch game.”

South African stand-in skipper Aiden Markram, on the other hand, said that Supersport Park pitch is always a good one to bat on and, therefore, they are looking forward to put out the perfect game today.

As far as Playing XI is concerned, India have made just one change in the squad. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been rested and Shardul Thakur has been called in his place.

Meanwhile, the home side are going with four changes. Chris Morris, Imran Tahir, Khaya Zondo and Farhaan Behardien have returned to the side.

An upbeat India, who had earlier scripted a history in South Africa with an unprecedented series win following a 73-run win in the fourth ODI, are currently boosting with confidence and looking to end the series with a 5-1 win heading into the match.

Meanwhile, South Africa would play for pride and would aim to end the ODI series on a winning note.

India XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni(w), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.

South Africa XI: Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram (c), Jean-Paul Duminy, AB de Villiers, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungisani Ngidi. (ANI)

This is published unedited from the ANI feed.

Add India.com as a Preferred Source Add India.com as a Preferred Source

For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest News on India.com.

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.