|| Desk Report ||

As the 2019 World rolled onto the ground with the match between hosts England and South, it produced a record when Imran Tahir surprisingly came out to bowl the first over of the innings instead of Kagiso Rabada. It was the first time in World Cup history that a spinner bowled the first ball, inscribing Tahir’s name in the cricket carnival’s folklore.

South African skipper Faf du Plesiss brought the leg spinner Tahir early in the attack in order to torment English opener Jason Roy, considering the opener has been a struggling starter against leg-spin.

Tahir did pick up a wicket in his first over as it was the wicket of another opener Jhonny Bairstow who got caught behind the wicket in the second ball of the first over.  Bowling spinners in the first over isn’t new but it’s rare to a see a leg spinner bowl in the first over and that too in the first match of the World Cup.

Earlier South Africa won the toss decided to field first on a good batting wicket in Oval. As the expert believes, this wicket will become easier during chasing. 

South Africa (Playing XI): Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock(w), Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Jean-Paul Duminy, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir