2nd-placed India look to maintain ODI spot

India lead South Africa by five points and need to win two matches in order to stop falling behind the Proteas. A 4-1 win for the AB de Villiers-led side will put it second on 113 points with India dropping to third on 112 points, according to an ICC release.

But a 3-2 win for the tourists will mean India will retain <g data-gr-id="19">second</g> spot on 114 points and South Africa getting the consolation of reducing the gap with the host from five points to two.

On the other side of the coin, a series sweep for India would see them advance to 119 points and narrow Australia’s lead at the top to eight points. In this scenario, South Africa slip behind New Zealand in <g data-gr-id="18">fourth</g> position on 107 points.

Meanwhile, the top three batsmen in the player rankings will also feature in the series.

South Africa ODI captain AB de Villiers holds a 73-point advantage over his compatriot and second-ranked Hashim Amla who, in turn, is 21 points clear of India’s Virat Kohli.