Will rain affect India's T20I series opener against South Africa?
What's the story
India and South Africa are all set to clash in the first match of their five-match T20I series on Tuesday, December 9. The game will be played at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. After being whitewashed in the Test series, the Men in Blue bounced back by winning the ODI leg and are now looking to continue their winning streak in the T20Is as well.
Team updates
India's unbeaten T20I streak and South Africa's comeback
Under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav, India have not lost a single T20I series since their World Cup 2024 victory. Meanwhile, South Africa will be looking to redeem themselves after a disappointing ODI series. The visitors, led by their own set of explosive T20 specialists, are expected to take an aggressive approach against India.
Weather conditions
Weather forecast for Cuttack's T20I match
As India gear up for the T20 World Cup, the weather forecast for the first match against South Africa is a matter of concern. While the afternoon looks bright and sunny, evening clouds are expected during the match. There is a 10% chance of rain in the evening which could lead to some interruptions.
Pitch report
Barabati Stadium's pitch and dew factor
The pitch at Barabati Stadium has a new red-soil base and is known to be batting-friendly. Spinners come into play during middle overs, with teams batting second expected to benefit from dew. The stadium has witnessed India lose their last two matches against South Africa, but the Men in Blue will be eager to turn things around this time.
Line-ups
Here are the likely XIs
India likely XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma/ Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah. SA likely XI: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.