Cricket
South Africans, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, or even the Men in Blue themselves, there's no escaping Indian cricket fans.
Updated : Jun 11, 2017, 11:12 PM IST
Many expected what was a virtual quarter-final between India and South Africa to be a game which would end with a nail-biting finish. However, contrary to expectations of a cracker of a game, the Sunday's fixture of the ongoing Champions Trophy turned to be a cakewalk for the Men in Blue as they registered an emphatic eight-wicket win over the Proteas at The Oval, London to enter the semi-finals of the ongoing 50-over marquee event. Chasing a lowly target of 192, the defending champions lost just two wickets and crossed the line in just 38 overs.
What a great victory for India. Solid performance. Good luck for the semi finals and finals.#INDvSA #CT17
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 11, 2017
What a way to march into the semis!Great performance. #Indianfielding was the man of the match for me today #INDvSA #CT17
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) June 11, 2017
Shikhar Dhawan Is That School Kid Who Fails In Class 12th Exams But Gets Good Rank In #IITJEE.#INDvSA #INDvsSA #CT17 #Kohli #Dhoni #Dhawan
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) June 11, 2017
Shikhar Dhawan Breaks Sachin's Record. Becomes Fastest To Score 1000 Runs In #ICC ODI Events.#INDvSA #INDvsSA #CT17 #Kohli #Dhoni #Dhawan pic.twitter.com/Tg6Y0r9dHN
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) June 11, 2017
Congratulations India! Apparently Cricket Match Is Not The Only Thing South Africa Lost Today#INDvSA #INDvsSA #CT17 #Dhawan #Kohli #Dhoni pic.twitter.com/oYNVgGZyon
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) June 11, 2017
Great finish. Top performance in the field and top notch with the bat @BCCI #INDvSA #CT17
— K L Rahul (@klrahul11) June 11, 2017
The David Miller run out brought back memories of the "Wasim bhai aap yahan kahan" moment from Inzamam #Ct17 pic.twitter.com/6H4DIjZeNS
— Amir Sohail (@amirsohailLive) June 11, 2017
India Beat South Africa By 8 Wickets. Man Of The Match Faf du Plessis For Brilliant Figure Of 8.2-0-38-3.#INDvSA #INDvsSA #CT17 #Dhawan pic.twitter.com/9DDdzCGUOA
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) June 11, 2017
The only player with a higher runs per dismissal in winning run chases than Kohli’s 90.00, is Dhoni with 97.36 (min 1000 runs). #CT17
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) June 11, 2017
Rashid Latif, All Pakistan Fans And Bangladesh Fans Reaction Right Now.#INDvSA #INDvsSA #CT17 #Kohli #INDvPAK #Dhawan pic.twitter.com/ojHoxRxoFa
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) June 11, 2017
#INDvSA #IndvsSA #CT17
— Mask (@Mr_LoLwa) June 11, 2017
Pic1 - shikar dhawan in other tournaments
Pic2- shikar dhawan in champions trophy pic.twitter.com/wEISO3JTJo
south africa have been all oval the place today #INDvSA #CT17
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) June 11, 2017
Top win guys @BCCI vs @OfficialCSA Big congratulations Team india Go for the
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 11, 2017
England v India Final anyone !!!!!!! #INDvSA #CT17
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) June 11, 2017
Don't feel like commenting on Dhoni's stumpings now days. It's a natural phenomenon like sunrise, sunset, weather, thunder, wave etc. #CT17
— Deep (@CricManiacDeep) June 11, 2017
South Africa, the number one ODI team doesn't even qualify for the Semifinals on a neutral venue. Green track bullies. #INDvSA
— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) June 11, 2017
शानदार, ज़बरदस्त, ज़िंदाबाद ! Team #India decimate South Africa to reach the S/F of the #CT17 Best wishes boys! #INDvSA
— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) June 11, 2017
Well done India!!!! #INDvSA
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) June 11, 2017
Pic 1: Bangladesh before IND-SA match
— Phd in Bakchodi !! (@Atheist_Krishna) June 11, 2017
Pic 2: Bangladesh after IND-SA match#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/NfxUYPGNAq
Kohli is unable to concentrate because the bowler and the umpire look the same. #INDvSA #Tahir #AleemDar pic.twitter.com/jEF0AtUe0R
— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) June 11, 2017
The number of mistakes Manjrekar has pointed out in Kohli's batting, I'm surprised he himself didn't score 100k runs in ODIs.#INDvSA
— The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) June 11, 2017
Got AB De Villiers & Killer Miller Runout, Then Donated His Wicket To Hardik Pandya. Faf Du Plessis Is Best Wicket-taking Batsman.#INDvSA
— Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) June 11, 2017
Rohit Sharma throws away his wicket in matches where he does not have a chance of making a double century. #INDvSA
— SAGAR (@sagarcasm) June 11, 2017
South African innings after Amla got out!!#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/Hp8pN3JcLo
— Oldest Monk (@RingerLactate_) June 11, 2017
Pakistanis right now #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/pKR9JIcjd4
— Manoj Mehra (@ManojMehra2610) June 11, 2017
Bangladesh looking at champions trophy be like
—h u s h a n t (@whoshushant) June 11, 2017
#INDvSA #ChampionsTrophy2017 pic.twitter.com/d93g5TOCBL
And we thought that Choking isn't possible while batting first..... #CT17 #IndvSA
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 11, 2017
India didn't had a great start to their chase as they lost Rohit Sharma (12) at team's score of 23. However, skipper Virat Kohli (76*), who came in next to bat, shared a 128-run partnership with opener Shikhar Dhawan (78). The left-handed opener, who had been in tremendous form in the Champions Trophy, was once again at his menacing best as he thrashed the South Africa bowlers to all the parts of the ground. In his 83-ball knock, Dhawan smashed 12 boundaries and a six while the swashbuckling Indian skipper accumulated 7 fours and a six in his 101-ball inning.
Earlier, the Men in Blue came out with a brilliant performance, both with the ball and in the field, to bowl out South Africa for a paltry 191 in 44.3 overs. Put into bat, the Proteas had a solid start as both Quinton de Kock (53) and Hashim Amla (35) put on 76 runs for the opening stand. However, once Ravichandran Ashwin---playing his first match of the ongoing Champions Trophy---got the wicket of Amla, things just started to fall apart for the AB de Villiers-led side.
After the duo, only Faf du Plessis could manage to stay on the crease for a bit long and contributed valuable 36 runs. The onus was on du Plessis to then bat through the innings. However, like the Pakistan match, he dragged one back off Hardik Pandya and got bowled. From 116/1, the Proteas found themselves struggling at 157/5. JP Duminy was the only recognised batsman in the middle and he too could not stay long and help his side reach to a respectable total.
Apart from the brilliant bowling performance, the Men in Blue were exceptional in the field as they pulled off three run-outs to put the brakes during the course of the South African innings. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah both picked up two wickets while Pandya, Ashwin and Jadeja all chipped in with a wicket each. Bumrah was adjudged the Man of the Match for his stupendous bowling performance.
India will now face Bangladesh in the second semi-final on June 15 while Group A topper England will face the winner of the final Group B fixture between Sri Lanka and Pakistan to be played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on Monday.
(Inputs from ANI)