India look to extend lead against South Africa

Skipper Virat Kohli scored a century as India defeated South Africa in the first ODI.

Centurion - In the aftermath of the Durban defeat, South Africa have lost skipper du Plessis to a finger injury

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By PTI, AFP

Published: Sat 3 Feb 2018, 6:20 PM

Last updated: Sat 3 Feb 2018, 8:26 PM

A buoyant India will look to cash in on South Africas injury woes, compounded by the loss of captain Faf du Plessis, when the two sides meet in the second ODI here on Sunday.
The visitors won their first-ever ODI against South Africa at Durban on Thursday by six wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the six-match series.
That defeat ended the Proteas' 17-match unbeaten run on home soil stretching back to February 2016, when they had lost to England at Port Elizabeth.
In the aftermath of the Durban defeat, South Africa have lost skipper du Plessis to a finger injury. South African captain Faf du Plessis has been ruled out of the rest of the one-day international series and a Twenty20 series against India with a broken finger.
Du Plessis left the field during the first one-day international in Durban on Thursday with what he thought was a minor injury to his right index finger.
But Cricket South Africa announced ahead of Sunday's second match in the six-match series that the finger was broken.
This was on top of AB de Villiers finger injury, sustained during the third Test at Wanderers, but he was only ruled out of the first three ODIs.
Even so, the hosts will be very demoralised with this turn of events, especially since they need to fight back to avoid going 2-0 down so early in this contest.
Batsman Farhaan Behardien has been recalled to the ODI squad, after he was left out initially in favour of Khayelihle Zondo as part of their preparation for the 2019 World Cup.
While Zondo didn't play at Durban, it is anticipated that he will continue to sit out, as Behardien will walk into the playing eleven given the circumstances. The latter had last featured against Bangladesh in October 2017.
Wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen, who finished the third highest run-getter in South Africas domestic one-day tournament, has also been drafted as backup for Quinton de Kock.
The latter has been struggling for form, and scored a patchy 34 off 49 balls in the first game. It is tough to envisage that de Kock will be dropped just yet, but Klaasens inclusion ought to send him a signal of the team managements intent.

PTI, AFP

Published: Sat 3 Feb 2018, 6:20 PM

Last updated: Sat 3 Feb 2018, 8:26 PM

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