South Africa vs India 2024, 1st T20I: Match preview and result prediction

India will look to end a successful year in the T20 format on a bang as they take on South Africa in a four-match series starting on Friday (Nov 9). The team earlier led by Rohit Sharma won the T20 World Cup in June and handed the baton to Suryakumar Yadav and Co. With a series win on the agenda, India will look to end the year on a high as interim coach VVS Laxman looks for another success.

Match Preview -

The opening contest between India and South Africa will be played at theKingsmead inDurban as the two sides meet for the first time since the T20 World Cup final in June. India won the contest in Barbados to lift their second T20 World Cup while South Africa were left to rue despite being in pole position at one time to win.

India are likely to field a new-look side with not much experience in the camp, the likes ofRamandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak are in an India squad for the first time. Yash Dayal has been in the Test squad but remains uncapped.

Interestingly, with the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions set to take place later in the month, players from both sides will look to catch the attention of big franchises.

For the first time since the T20 World Cup in June, South Africa will be able to field seven of the XI who took them to the final of that tournament. But not Quinton de Kock, who’s gone fishing, and Kagiso Rabada, who’s been rested. Anrich Nortjé and Tabraiz Shamsi are available but were not selected.

India should be the favourites to win the match, but South Africa can't be underestimated in home conditions. India to win narrowly in the opening contest against South Africa in Durban.

Predicted Playing XIs –

India - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh

South Africa - Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Nqaba Peter, Ottneil Baartman