Pathan seems to be in a different zone
Every time India and South Africa come together, one can expect fireworks. We saw another cliffhanger at Cape Town where the third ODI was played. n what seemed like a difficult track to bat on, South Africa won the toss and chose to bat. Zaheer Khan was in top form, getting the ball to talk. It didn’t take long for Faf du Plessis to step onto the field and show his worth.
This 26-year-old debutant played a controlled and commendable innings of 60 and impressed one and all with his batting and fielding. His performance was aptly rewarded by CSA when he was included in the South African World Cup squad.
JP Duminy (52) stitched a fine stand along with Plessis that set the foundation for the hosts. A total of 221 was always going to be a tricky chase for the visitors. While the rest of the team applied caution while facing the Proteas attack, Yusuf Pathan seemed to be batting on a different wicket altogether. He sent the ball soaring, that not only calmed the nerves in the dressing room but also ensured that India went into the fourth ODI with a 2-1 lead.
What has impressed me most about this Indian team has been the will to put up a fight. The youngsters have stepped up and made themselves count. The performance of Virat Kohli and Yusuf Pathan is a big boost. The win against South Africa will stand Dhoni’s team in good stead when they begin their campaign at the World Cup which kickstarts on February 19.
The blogger is a 1st year Mass Communication student at St Francis College.
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