LUCKNOW: Despite defeating India in the opening One-Day International here on Thursday, South Africa is stuck in 11th place in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League Standings, which prevents them from automatically qualifying for the 50-over World Cup in India next year.

In fact, it is improbable that they will be able to automatically qualify for the championship match even if they sweep the three-match series here, as well as the two remaining games of their postponed home series against the Netherlands and the ODIs against England.

India is presently ranked sixth in the Super League. Only Zimbabwe (12th) and the Netherlands (13th) are ranked higher than South Africa.
Prior to the commencement of the current series against India, the Proteas were mired in 11th place with just four victories in 13 games. The bottom five teams after the two-year Super League qualification period will play in a qualifying tournament that also includes the top teams from the lower rungs of competition. There are a total of 13 teams ranked in the Cricket World Cup Super League Standings -- 12 Full Member nations plus the Netherlands.
The Proteas were required to forfeit the entire 30 ODI World Cup Super League points available when they were forced to forfeit the ODI series against Australia in January of the following year, reportedly because of their much-hyped franchise-based inaugural SA20 tournament at home, according to the ICC.

Since that time, they have tied the series with England in England (1-1), but that hasn't improved their place.
India struck two fast knocks to restrict South Africa to 71/3 after they were given the opportunity to bat first in a 40-over match in Lucknow. Quinton de Kock's dismissal further hurt the visitors, but things turned around when Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller joined forces at the crease.

To get South Africa to 249 in 40 overs, the two put on an unbroken 139-run partnership in 17.4 overs. Klaasen continued to be unbeaten at 74 off 65 balls, while Miller finished on 63 balls and was unbeaten at 75.

With the new ball, South Africa increased their lead when Kagiso Rabada and Wayne Parnell dismissed the Indian openers in the first six overs. With the pitch taking a turn, Keshav Maharaj then wove a web around the Indian hitters, dropping India to 51/4.

With a half-century stand, Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson revived the innings, but Iyer's dismissal in the 27th over gave South Africa the advantage. South Africa scored some much-needed Super League points but India fell short despite late fireworks from the Samson-Thakur duo.

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