South Africa's 3 highest run-scorers against India in ODI World Cups ft. Jacques Kallis
India and South Africa will battle it out for the top spot on the 2023 World Cup points table in Kolkata on November 5. While India's place in the semi-finals has been mathematically confirmed, the Proteas are also more or less in no danger of dropping below fourth.
In fact, considering the teams' points and net run rate, they should occupy the top two places on the table when the league stage ends. However, finishing first has its benefits, as first plays fourth in the semi-finals of the competition.
The two sides have met five teams in ODI World Cups previously, with the African side leading 3-2 in the head-to-head. India have gotten the better of South Africa in the last two World Cup encounters, in 2015 and 2019.
Over the years, there have been a lot of world-class batters produced by these two countries. These run machines have made a difference in crunch games, like the one in Eden Gardens on November 5.
On that note, let's look at the three top run-getters for South Africa against India in the ODI World Cups ft. Jacques Kallis.
#3 Hashim Amla - 89 runs
One of the most consistent batters of his generation, Hashim Amla was the lynchpin of the Proteas batting unit for around a decade. He scored 89 runs in three matches against India in an ODI World Cup setting.
Amla scored 61 off 72 deliveries at Nagpur in the 2011 edition, as his side trumped the Men in Blue by three wickets. Overall, the Durban-born batter scored over 18,553 runs in international cricket, which included 55 centuries. He's the third-highest all-time run scorer for his country.
#2 Faf du Plessis - 118 runs
Faf du Plessis, similar to Amla, played three matches against India in the ODI World Cups in the 2011, 2015, and 2019 editions. Du Plessis scored 118 runs, including one half century, which was registered in Melbourne eight years ago.
The 39-year-old had a decent career for South Africa, spanning 10 years from 2011 to 2021. He scored 11,136 runs in 301 innings across all formats of international cricket. The right-handed batter also had the honor of captaining his country for a brief period.
#1 Jacques Kallis - 165 runs
Jacques Kallis is inarguably South Africa's best player of all time. A pure all-rounder, Kallis' batting was as good as the best batters of his generation, and his bowling wasn't far behind some of the best pacers of his generation. Although he just faced India twice at the ODI World Cups, he scored 165 runs against them.
Against the Men in Blue, Jacques Kallis scored a magnificent 96 in Hove in 1999 as well as a solid 69 in Nagpur in 2011. He was run out on both occasions. Overall, Jacques Kallis aggregated 25,422 runs in international cricket, which comfortably makes him the Proteas' greatest batter ever.