India posted a mammoth score of 240/6 in 20 overs. Opener Ishan Kishan slammed 53 off 20 deliveries, including two fours and seven towering sixes.
The contest serves as India’s final dress rehearsal before the defending champions begin their title defence against the USA on February 7.
A strong fightback from Matthew Breetzke (72 off 80), Marco Jansen (70 off 39) and Corbin Bosch (67 off 51) kept the game alive deep into the chase.
As former India skipper and head coach Anil Kumble predicted before the start of proceedings, “I don't see the pitch to be dangerous like Kolkata. It will be a good surface to bat on.
The two teams are set to meet in a multi-format series, with Shubman Gill’s men hosting the Proteas for two Tests and three ODIs, followed by a five-match T20I series led by Suryakumar Yadav.
Reflecting in his own achievements as a key member of the West Indies side to lift the trophy in 2012 and 2016, the destructive former opening batter shed light on the euphoria of final wins over Sri Lanka and England, respectively.
India have stumbled at the last hurdle in their two most recent appearances in ICC finals, having tasted defeat to Australia in both last year’s ICC World Test Championship final in London and the ICC men’s 50-over World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
There are high chances of rain on Saturday but the ICC has kept a reserve day for the T20 WC final
IND vs SA, World Cup 2023: It was a packed-house in Kolkata as India posted a big 326-run total on board, thanks to Virat Kohli's record equaling 49th ton and Shreyas Iyer's 77 off 87 balls.
The toss and match time for the first ODI between India and South Africa has been pushed by half an hour due to rain.
