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India vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Paarl weather forecast and Boland Park pitch report

Check out Paarl weather forecast and Boland Park pitch report ahead of India vs South Africa 3rd ODI

FirstCricket Staff December 21, 2023 07:00:47 IST

India middle-order batter Tilak Varma in action during the second ODI against South Africa in Gqeberha. AP

India and South Africa square off one more time in coloured clothing one more time on Thursday before the highly-anticipated two-Test series gets underway. With the Men in Blue and the Proteas set to lock horns in series decider, the white-ball leg of India’s 2023-24 tour of South Africa couldn’t have come to a more exciting conclusion.

The T20I series had ended in a 1-1 draw and with a similar scoreline in the ODI series, Thursday’s contest could give the winning team the bragging rights for sometime before the focus shifts to the two-Test series for the Freedom Trophy that begins next week at Centurion’s SuperSport Park.

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India outplayed South Africa by eight wickets in the opening game of the ODI series in Johannesburg after bowing the hosts out for a meagre 116. The Proteas, however, would return the favour in style on Tuesday by restricting India to 211. Opener Tony de Zorzi then brought up his maiden ODI century to reduce the chase to a cakewalk and help his team get over the line with more than seven overs to spare.

The ongoing tour has so far witnessed one game — the first T20I in Durban — get washed out completely without the toss taking place. The subsequent fixture in Gqeberha too witnessed weather interruptions, with India’s innings coming to an end with three deliveries still left and South Africa being set a revised target that they would end up chasing successfully in the end.

Will the third and final ODI also end in a washout? Here’s what the forecast reads:

According to the Thursday’s weather forecast for Paarl on Accuweather.com, it is expected to be a sunny day out at Boland Park with the temperature going as high as 33 degrees celsius.

With a 1 per cent probability of rain in Paarl, the ground staff at the venue can expect to have it easy once the game starts, and perhaps sit back with a pint of Castle Lager in hand and enjoy the proceedings.

How will the pitch at Boland Park behave in the third ODI?

The Boland Park has traditionally been a slow and low wicket. Teams have crossed 300 at this venue just thrice in 15 ODIs and India are the only other team besides South Africa to have done so — against Kenya (351/3) in 2001.

The venue has, incidentally, also witnessed a couple of sub-50 totals and incidentally, Sri Lanka were involved in both games. The Lankans had shot Canada out for 36 in the 2003 World Cup Pool B match that they ended up winning by nine wickets in a little more than four overs. Nine years later, Sri Lanka would get bowled out for 43 after being set a daunting 302 to win to suffer a 258-run thrashing.