On October 7, the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is set to host South Africa (SA) and Sri Lanka (SL) in match No. 4 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Both teams are in good form and are eager to kick off their World Cup campaign with a victory. They have faced each other a total of 90 times in this format, with South Africa emerging victorious in 45 matches and Sri Lanka clinching 33 wins.
As we turn our attention to the weather forecast, it is expected to be warm, with a temperature of around 31°C. The humidity levels will be relatively high at 89%, and there will be a gentle breeze blowing at 4.1 km/h. However, visibility might pose a challenge, as it is expected to be limited to three kilometres.
The game day also brings a 38% chance of rain, which could potentially impact the proceedings. With the match scheduled to commence at 2:00 PM IST, the dew factor is poised to play a significant role, making conditions difficult in the latter half of the game.
Arun Jaitley Stadium is favourable for both batters and bowlers
The Arun Jaitley Stadium is renowned for its batting-friendly pitch, with shorter boundaries and a fast outfield that favours the batters. As the game progresses, the pacers may find some assistance, particularly in the later stages, while the spinners are likely to dominate during the middle overs. Given these conditions, winning the toss and opting to chase could be a smart move for the captains.
The average first-innings score on this pitch is around 230 runs, indicating that the bowlers can make an impact early on. However, history shows that teams batting second have a strong track record at this ground, boasting a winning percentage of 60%. Over the years, the pitch has evolved into a slow and challenging surface for batting, but once a batter settles in and gets accustomed to the conditions, they can capitalize on the crumbly and dusty nature of the black-soiled pitch as the game unfolds.
