WC 2015 IND vs SA: How pitch, weather may shape up during India vs South Africa World Cup battle

Melbourne: India and South Africa set up a mouth-watering clash at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Both the teams have two points against their name after winning their opening games. Here is how the weather and pitch will shape up for this Pool B tie.

Weather:

While cyclone ruined the Australia vs Bangladesh game in Brisbane, there remains 20 per cent chance of rain spoiling India vs South Africa encounter. The maximum temperature in Melbourne would be approximately 36°C while the minimum would remain around 24°C.

Pitch:

The Australian batsmen made merry during their first game against arch-rivals England on February 14. It is likely that the pitch would retain this trait and remain friendly for batsmen during the India vs South Africa Pool B game on Sunday. However, the hardness of the pitch shall make the Proteas pacers jump with joy.

Key players:

Virat Kohli
Poor form in ODI series and warm up games in Australia are things of the past for Virat Kohli; more so, after his hundred against Pakistan in India’s opening game of the World Cup. The star Indian batsman will be a crucial cog as India look to beat South Africa for the first time in World Cup.

Dale Steyn
Zimbabwe hurt his ego and then health issues got better of him for a while. But Dale Steyn is enjoying full fitness and would be raring to get his form back on track. So far, the South African speedster has scalped 23 wickets in 14 ODIs against India. And it won’t be surprising if he adds a few more to his account.