Defending champions India are set to face South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super Eights at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, on Sunday, February 22, at 7pm local time, or 13:30 GMT.
According to India's bowling coach, Morne Morkel, the team's strategy will be to target early wickets against South Africa, particularly against their top-order batsmen, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram.
Morkel said, "We know that their top order gives them that momentum, with Quinton and Aiden up front in good form and hitting the ball very well. We will definitely put our best foot forward to try and get those early wickets."
Team Background
India stormed through the group stage, winning all four of their matches, including a 61-run win against rivals Pakistan and a 17-run win against the Netherlands.
South Africa, on the other hand, had a strong start to the tournament, with a 57-run win against Canada and a seven-wicket win against New Zealand, before completing the group stage with a six-wicket win against the UAE.
India's opener, Abhishek Sharma, has been out of form, with three consecutive ducks, but Morkel is confident that he will bounce back soon, saying, "He is a world-class player. We are going to a very important phase of the World Cup now and I am sure he is going to deliver."
Coach's Perspective
South Africa coach, Shukri Conrad, announced a much-changed squad for their upcoming five-match Twenty20 tour of New Zealand, which includes five uncapped players, leaving behind most of the team that qualified for the Super Eights.
Conrad said, "With this series taking place directly after the T20 World Cup, the majority of that squad will return home, which creates a great opportunity for this group of players to step into the international environment and show what they're about at this level."
Source: Al Jazeera
