Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India on Friday lost 2nd ODI of the series against South Africa as the Proteas sealed a 7 wicket win over KL Rahul’s boys to take an unassailable & decisive 2-0 lead in the much anticipated 3 match ODI series.
Team India lost the opening ODI series by 31 runs in Paarl and lost in the 2nd ODI match by 7 wickets giving the opposing a 2-0 lead at the same venue. Fortunately, for India, the series isn’t part of the ODI Super League hence a lot won’t be at stake for the them in the final tie, but for a rebuilding South African side, a win in the final ODI would be the cherry on the cake.
South Africa lacks behind it’s two top frontline pacers- Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, with the entire hope resting on Lungi Ngidi in the bowling department. Still the host team managed to stay in lead in the ODI matches against Team India and now stand on the verge of scripting two huge records in ODIs.
If South Africa wins against India in the third match of the ODI series it will be their 20th bilateral series, comprising a minimum three matches, where they have scripted a whitewash. The tally will help them equal Pakistan’s world record for most whitewashes in a series of minimum three ODIs. New Zealand stand third with 16 such victories.
For India, it will be the fifth time in the ODI history that they got swept away in all the matches in a bilateral series. The whitewash will also make South Africa the second team in ODIs to repeat the same defeat against India twice. West Indies had done it in a five-match series in 1983 in India and in 1989 at home. South Africa had achieved the feat in 2006 in a four-match contest at home. New Zealand is the only other side, having beaten India comprehensively in a three-match series in 2020 at home.
South Africa owns an outstanding win percentage of 83.78 in Cape Town in the ODIs winning 31 matches out of 37 at the venue. The numbers are their best among all their home venues. However, two of their last three defeats at the venue where inflicted by India – by 2 wickets in 2011 and by 124 runs in 2018.