Indian flag hoisted upside down at Newlands, stadium officials correct error later

Cape Town: The action returns to Cape Town as India take on South Africa in the 3rd ODI of the Momentum Series at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday. Virat Kohli and co began their campaign against the Proteas at the same venue in January, but a huge error took place once again by the stadium officials as it did during the first Test match.

The Indian national flag was hoisted upside down before the start of the match. A fan present at the Newlands stadium took to Twitter and expressed his disappointment regarding the matter.

“It happened on the eve of the first test match at Newlands. And now yet again it happened on the eve of the third ODI between #INDvSA at the same venue. Hope the tricolour is hoisted correctly before the match gets underway.”

However, before the Men in Blue could make their way to the ground, the officials took action and made the changes.

India will have their sights set on an unprecedented 3-0 lead when they take on a South African team, which has quite literally fallen apart due to injury blows, in the third ODI of the six-match series.

The visitors won the first two matches of the series in Durban and Centurion by six and nine wickets, respectively, dismantling the home side with consummate ease. Twice previously, India have managed to win two ODIs in a bilateral series in South Africa -- in 1992-93 and in 2010-11.

In the latter instance, the visitors shot into a 2-1 lead, only to lose the five-match series 3-2 in the end. They had also lost 5-2 in the other instance. But given the hosts' current travails, history repeating itself would be a major disaster for the Men in Blue.

This is because the Proteas are beset with injury problems. AB de Villiers was ruled out before the first ODI, Faf du Plessis before the second (both suffered finger injuries). And the list has only grown with Quinton de Kock (left
wrist injury) ruled out before the third ODI.