T20 World Cup: How India can qualify for the semis after loss against South Africa

India's first loss in the T20 World Cup 2022 against South Africa has come as a shock to the fans. With the win, the South African team has also catapulted itself to the top position in the group with 5 points. India now sit below South Africa with four points. 

The question now the fans have is how can India qualify for the semis after the loss?

• To qualify for the semis, India will have to win both its fixtures: one against Bangladesh on November 2, and the other against Zimbabwe on November 6. 
• For India to finish at the top of the table, South Africa will also have to lose either of the games against Pakistan or Netherlands.
• Even if one of South Africa's match is a washout, India can reach the top of the table with its net run-rate.
• Moreover, India's loss against the Proteas has further dented Pakistan's chances of qualifying for the knock-out stages.

How India lost against South Africa: Despite winning the toss and opting to bat first, the Rohit Sharma-led side tumbled and fumbled and collapsed and could only scorte 133 runs with the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs. Before the match, the pitch was considered to be a batting wicket, but when Lungi Ngidi ran over the India's top order with lightening fast deliveries, Indian batters couldn't understand anything.

• Ngidi finished with a spell of 4 for 29 while Wayne Parnell finished with 3 for 15 in his four overs.
• Only Suryakumar Yadav from the Indian side stayed at the crease for sometime and scored 68 off 40 deliveries. 

   

• Yadav, during his innings, smashed 3 sixes and 4 fours at a strike rate of 170.
• When the Indian side came to bowl, Arshdeep Singh dismissed Quinton De Kock and Rilee Rossouw in quick succession.

   

• Skipper Temba Bavuma was also sent to pavilion by Mohammad Shami at 10 and soon the Proteas were 24/3. 
• But, for the fourth wicket, David Miller and Aiden Markram had a solid stand that changed turned the game in South Africa's favour.
• The two amassed 76-run stand and when Aiden Markram was dismissed for 52, the South Africans were well into the game at 100/4 at 15.4 overs.
• David Miller in the end finished the game for the team and remained unbeaten at 59 off 46 balls. 

What were the three mistakes that cost Indian team the match?

• Virat's dropped catch of Markram: Markram was on 35 when he was dropped by Virat Kohli at deep mid-wicket on a ball by Ravichandran Ashwin. It was an easy catch for Kohli, but the ball slipped from his hands. 
• Batting first: India opting for bat first after winning the toss proved costly as the team not just crashed in front of South African pace, but the also fell short of at least 20 runs which cost them the game. Having defeated South African team twice in 2022, the Indian batters still stood clueless when they faced pace bowling from Ngidi, Parnell and Kagiso Rabada.
• Deepak Hooda in the team:  Deepak Hooda in place of Axar Patel hardly produced any result for the team as the right-handed batter was dismissed at 0. Hooda didn't even bowl.