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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Afghanistan, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday.

Sixteen teams began the tournament and only four remain as South Africa and Afghanistan prepare to do battle in the first semi-final of the 2024 T20 World Cup on Thursday morning.

The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will host this matchup between the Proteas and Blue Tigers, and the winner will move on to the grand final where they will face either India or England.

Match preview

© Reuters

Safe to say, South Africa are no strangers to heartbreak, having bowed out in the semi-final of World Cup events seven consecutive times in the past, and hoping it will be eighth-time lucky.

However, given the teams remaining in the competition, the Proteas will likely feel that they have got about the best fixture they could have hoped for, and will have a genuine belief that the stars are aligned for them this year.

South Africa booked their spot in the last four by beating the West Indies by three wickets via the DLS method in their final Super Eight match, even though none of their batsmen managed more than 30 runs in the chase.

Still, Aiden Markram‘s side are the only ones to have played and won all seven of their matches up to this point, and while there is a case to be made that they have not been as convincing as India, winning by an inch or a mile counts for the same thing in World Cup knockout matches.

The Proteas have only faced this opponent twice in the shortest format of the game, both times at the T20 World Cup (2010 and 2016), and won on both occasions, which will give them a significant psychological advantage heading into this contest.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s ride to the semi-final is a remarkable achievement and underlines the progress made by the nation in recent years despite being ranked 10th in the world according to the ICC T20 Rankings.

During the group stage, the Blue Tigers held off New Zealand to progress alongside the West Indies to the Super Eight, where they pulled off a remarkable 21-run victory over Australia in game two, which ultimately knocked the Baggy Greens out of the competition.

The final match of the second phase saw Afghanistan overcome neighbouring Bangladesh by eight runs via the DLS method, earning them their first-ever semi-final berth in a World Cup tournament.

Against the Tigers, captain Rashid Khan emerged as the standout performer, scoring a quickfire 19* in the dying overs before leading the bowling attack with a tournament-best 4/23, while Naveen-ul-Haq also bagged 4-fer in 3.5 overs.

While they enter this match as the clear underdogs at the books, Afghanistan seem to relish being considered outsiders, and with players leading the standings with both bat and ball in the competition, a victory for them would not come as a complete shock.

Team News

© Reuters

Anrich Nortje had a fairly poor outing against the Windies, dropping a dolly in the field while he was also the only South African bowler to end the match without picking up a wicket.

That could be enough to prompt Markram, who took the new ball responsibilities upon himself in the match, to recall Ottniel Baartman for this match, while retaining Tabraiz Shamsi as the second spinner after his impressive 3/27 last time out.

One player who will be remembered long after the conclusion of this tournament by Afghanistan fans is Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is the current leading run-scorer in the competition with 281 runs in seven innings.

Ibrahim Zadran is third on that list and one of only five players to have crossed 200 runs in the tournament, while Fazalhaq Farooqi leads the leading wicket-taker standings with 16, one ahead of India’s Arshdeep Singh.

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik

Series so far

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: South Africa won by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

Match Seven: South Africa won by 3 wickets (DLS method)
West Indies – 135/8 (20)
South Africa 124/7 (16.1)

Afghanistan

Match One: Afghanistan won by 125 runs
Afghanistan – 183/5 (20)
Uganda – 58 (16)

Match Two: Afghanistan won by 84 runs
Afghanistan – 159/6 (20)
New Zealand – 75 (15.2)

Match Three: Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Papua New Guinea – 95 (19.5)
Afghanistan – 101/3 (15.1)

Match Four: Afghanistan lost by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Match Five: Afghanistan lost by 47 runs
India – 181/8 (20)
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Match Six: Afghanistan won by 21 runs
Afghanistan – 148/6 (20)
Australia – 127 (19.2)

Match Seven: Afghanistan won by 8 runs (DLS method)
Afghanistan – 115/5 (20)
Bangladesh – 105 (17.5)

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

Regardless of the outcome of this match, Afghanistan have been a joy to behold in this competition and there is no doubt we will see them in the latter stages of world tournaments more regularly in the future.

However, despite not being at their absolute best, South Africa’s unbeaten record is difficult to overlook and we feel the Proteas will be able to shed their semi-final curse by finally reaching a World Cup final this year.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final between the India and England, scheduled to be played at the Providence Stadium on Thursday.

The penultimate match of what has been an engrossing T20 World Cup will see India taking on England at the Providence Stadium in the second semi-final on Thursday afternoon.

This edition has already delivered a little bit of everything, and it is somewhat fitting that the tournament favourites and defending champions cross paths to earn their spot in the grand final.

Match preview

© Imago

Aside from the host nations, India have undoubtedly had the biggest fan support of any nation at this year’s T20 World Cup, and thousands of blue shirts were in attendance to see their heroes romp into the semis by beating Australia on Monday afternoon.

Rohit Sharma scored a majestic 92 runs from just 41 balls at the top of the innings, taking his side to the tournament’s second-highest total of 205/5, only behind the West Indies’ 218/5 against Afghanistan in the final match of the first phase.

Despite losing David Warner early doors, the Aussies got off to a brisk start with Travis Head taking it to the Indian opening bowlers but the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel slowed the run rate significantly in the middle overs, which Mitchell Marsh‘s side were unable to recover from.

The Men in Blue are one of only two sides, along with South Africa, that have reached the last four without losing a game, with their only dropped points during the group stage coming as a result of their match against Canada being washed out without a ball bowled.

All else aside, if India could have chosen any of the remaining three teams to face in this match, it would likely be England, as it was the Three Lions that knocked them out in this very match in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

© Reuters

When these two met at the Adelaide Oval in the last edition of this tournament, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler led England to victory with what still stands as the highest any-wicket partnership in T20 World Cup history (170*).

That knock surpassed Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock‘s 168 made earlier in the same competition and that was also the last time these T20 World Cup champions have faced each other in the shortest format of the game in any competition.

Buttler posted an unbeaten 80 that day as the Three Lions won without losing a wicket, and the skipper pulled off a similar feat in the last match at this World Cup, scoring 83* alongside his current opening partner Phil Salt to lead his side to a 10-wicket victory over the United States.

While England ultimately reached this stage of the competition by finishing two points ahead of the West Indies in the Super Eight, the significance of Buttler’s knock at the time was huge, as it came before the Windies’ match against South Africa, when the co-hosts had a significantly better net run-rate.

However, aside from their victory against the US, the Three Lions have been far from convincing, not just in this competition, but in the white-ball formats for last couple of years, during which they were dumped out of the ODI World Cup in the group stage and suffered T20 series defeats against New Zealand and the West Indies in the last six months.

Team News

© Imago

Arshdeep Singh caught the eye at the recently concluded Indian Premier League for the Punjab Kings and has continued his excellent form in this competition, now the tied leading wicket-taker on 15 alongside Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi.

After a couple of solid knocks, Virat Kohli was dismissed without troubling the scoring against Australia. With that, the two-time leading run-scorer of the T20 World Cup matched an unwanted feat, joining former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra to have bagged a brace of ducks in a single edition of the tournament.

Buttler’s knock of 83* in the last match has taken him to eighth in the leading run-scorer standings in the competition with 191, followed by Phil Salt in ninth on 183 and a strike rate of 166.36, which is the best of the top-10 on the same list.

Chris Jordan made a very strong case to be included in the starting 11 in the final, taking a blinding catch to dismiss Harmeet Singh in the last match before wrapping up the US innings with a hat-trick.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

Series so far

India

Match One: India won by 8 wickets
Ireland – 96 (16)
India – 97/2 (12.2)

Match Two: India won by 6 runs
India – 119 (19)
Pakistan – 113/7 (20)

Match Three: India won by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Match Five: India won by 47 runs
India – 181/8
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Match Six: India won by 50 runs
India – 196/5 (20)
Bangladesh – 146/8 (20)

Match Seven: India won by 24 runs
India – 205/5 (20)
Australia – 181/7 (20)

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

Match Five: England won by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

Match Six: England lost by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

Match Seven: England won by 10 wickets
USA – 115 (18.5)
England – 117/0 (9.4)

© PA Photos

We say: India to win

Matches featuring these two cricket heavyweights seldom disappoint, and provided the weather plays its part, this should be no different.

However, India have firmly established themselves as the team to beat in this competition and we feel they will be the ones heading to Barbados this weekend.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between West Indies and South Africa, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday.

Arguably the most important match of Group 2 in the Super Eight at the 2024 T20 World Cup will see the West Indies taking on South Africa at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday afternoon.

South Africa currently lead the group with four points and are in the driver’s seat to reach the last four, while the West Indies are second but do possess the best net run rate of any side in the group.

Match preview

© Reuters

The West Indies were one of only three teams along with South Africa and Australia to play and win all four matches in the first phase, but they saw their spotless record blemished in the first match of the Super Eight by England.

Batting first, the Windies posted a defendable 180/4, but as we have seen for much of the tournament, the pitch provided the bowlers with very little assistance and the English batsmen, led by Phil Salt, took advantage and chased down the target with 2.3 overs to spare.

Nevertheless, the tournament co-hosts bounced back well on Saturday as they surged to a commanding nine-wicket victory over their Northern Hemisphere counterparts, chasing down 128 in just 10.5 overs.

As a result, that has given the Windies a very strong net run rate of +1.814, which could play a crucial part in the qualification equation with England still in the hunt heading into their final Super Eight match against the US.

Wins for the West Indies and England will mean the top two spots will be decided on net run rate, while a loss for the Windies here will see them knocked out if England beat the US on Sunday.

© Reuters

South Africa have come through the two group stages with a perfect record of six wins in six, though many would likely agree that they have not been at their absolute best despite their flawless record.

The Proteas have been run close more than once in the competition, beating Bangladesh by four runs in the first phase, while almost suffering a shock defeat to Nepal, who came up a single run short of what would have been the upset of the tournament.

In the Super Eight phase, South Africa got by the United States by 18 runs in their first match before another heart-in-mouth final few overs against England on Friday, where they came away with a slender seven-run victory.

However, the one thing that has improved for the Proteas as the tournament has gone on is the performance of their top order, particularly Quinton de Kock, who has notched up back-to-back half-centuries heading into this encounter.

Despite their strong position, Aiden Markram‘s side could still be knocked out of the competition if they lose this match by a sizable margin and England pick up a big win over the United States.

Team News

After an excellent IPL with the Lucknow Super Giants, Nicholas Pooran has continued his tremendous run-scoring form and now leads the standings in this competition with 227 in six games.

Despite failing to take a wicket in the last match, youngster Akeal Hosein has done a remarkable job for the West Indies with the new ball. He is likely to open the bowling once again in this match opposite Andre Russell.

As mentioned, the upturn in De Kock’s form has been a blessing for the South African middle-order though the performances of Reeza Hendricks are sure to be causing a concern for Proteas ahead of the knockouts.

Markram opted to revert to one specialist spinner against England last week, bringing back Ottneil Baartman in place of Tabraiz Shamsi, though the captain my opt to give the left-armer another chance in this one.

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Series so far

West Indies

Match One: West Indies won by five wickets
Papua New Guinea – 136/8 (20)
West Indies – 137/5 (19)

Match Two: West Indies won by 134 runs
West Indies – 173/5 (20)
Uganda – 39 (12)

Match Three: West Indies won by 13 runs
West Indies – 149/9 (20)
New Zealand – 136/9 (20)

Match Four: West Indies won by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Match Five: West Indies lost by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

Match Six: West Indies won by 9 wickets
USA – 128 (19.5)
West Indies – 130/1 (10.5)

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: South Africa won by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

Both these sides have shown that they are susceptible to the odd poor performance, but the main difference has been that South Africa have managed to dig themselves out each time so far.

This promises to be a captivating contest with both teams dreaming of a semi-final berth, but we feel the Proteas will hold on for a close victory.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between the USA and England, scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval on Sunday.

England have it all to do when they take on the United States in their final Super Eight T20 World Cup match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday afternoon.

It is still anybody’s ball game in Group 2, with all four teams still in the running to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition which gets underway on Thursday.

Match preview

© Imago

Few would have had the United States down as a team to reach the Super Eight, but they have been a joy to behold in this competition and their performance to this point suggests that they are one to watch in the coming years.

Indeed, the tournament co-hosts can still reach the final four, though it will require them to win this match by a huge margin, while also needing a massive slice of luck in the South Africa vs West Indies matchup.

After finishing second in their group, the US have found it difficult against the Test-playing nations in the second round. They conceded back-to-back defeats against South Africa and the West Indies in the last two games.

Still, if the US have shown anything in this competition, it has been character, and it would be foolish to think they will enter this contest with any other intention than to try and dispatch the English bowling attack to all parts.

Regardless of the outcome here, the hosts can be proud of their performance and will also look back fondly on their incredible super over victory against cricketing powerhouse Pakistan in their second match of the competition.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, England find themselves in almost the exact same position as they were in the first phase of the competition, staring elimination in the face, heading into their final match of the group.

England are currently level on two points with the Windies but are well behind on net run rate. England’s NRR is currently +0.412 while the West Indies are on +1.814 ahead of their final fixture.

That means England will need to win this match by a big margin to overtake the other host nation, alternatively, they will need the Proteas to do them a huge favour and beat the West Indies, thus making any victory in this match enough to qualify for the semi-final.

The Three Lions beat the West Indies in their first match of the Super Eight but came up seven runs short of the Proteas on Friday, despite Harry Brook scoring an impressive 53 off just 37 balls.

Despite the position they are in, you can never completely write off the defending champions, and Jos Buttler and co will enter this match with the objective of wrapping things up early before the nervous wait for the match between the group leaders on Monday starts.

Team News

US opener Andries Gous notched up another 29 runs against the West Indies last time out and is now up to second place in the leading run-scorer standings with 211. Only he and Nicholas Pooran have accumulated more than 200 runs in the competition to date.

Aaron Jones rounds out the top 10 run-scorers in the competition with 152 and also has the second-highest individual score of 94*. Harmeet Singh was the only player to take a wicket against the Windies and will be key the the USA’s chances of containing England in this match.

Phil Salt has carried his excellent Indian Premier League form into the T20 World Cup and is up to eighth place in the leading run-scorer standings, current on 158 in five innings, with a strike rate north of 170.

The major disappointment for England in this tournament has been the relatively poor performances of their bowling unit. Jofra Archer notched three wickets in the loss to South Africa, but the likes of Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali have struggled to find the same type of joy as some of their counterparts.

USA squad: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

Series so far

United States

Match One: USA won by 7 wickets
Canada – 194/5 (20)
USA – 197/3 (17.4)

Match Two: USA won the super over by 5 runs
Pakistan – 159/7 & 13/1
USA – 159/3 & 18/1

Match Three: USA lost by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

Match Five: USA lost by 18 runs
South Africa – 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

Match Six: United States lost by 9 wickets
USA – 128 (19.5)
West indies – 130/1 (10.5)

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

Match Five: England won by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

Match Six: England lost by 7 runs
South Africa – 163/6 (20)
England – 156/6 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: England to win

The USA have won the hearts of many neutrals in this competition and they will come out guns blazing here, as they can still mathematically qualify for the semi-final.

However, despite England’s uninspiring form at this tournament, they are still one of the best sides in the world and we feel they will secure a comfortable victory here before turning their attention to the crucial battle of the group leaders on Monday.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan and Australia, scheduled to be played at the Amos Vale Stadium on Sunday.

Australia will look to keep their perfect record at the 2024 T20 World Cup intact when they take on Afghanistan at the Amos Vale Stadium in Kingstown on Sunday afternoon.

The Aussies can book their place in the next round with a win here, provided India beat Bangladesh in the other match in Group 1 of the Super Eight this weekend.

Match preview

© Reuters

After flying out the blocks with victories in their first three games, including a crucial one over New Zealand, Afghanistan have found it difficult to keep their momentum going, and enter this match following back-to-back defeats.

The first of those came against co-hosts the West Indies in the final round of group-stage matches, where a Nicholas Pooran masterclass led the Windies to a commanding 104-run victory in Saint Lucia.

In their first match of the Super Eights, the Blue Tigers suffered a 47-run loss to the tournament favourites India, despite another excellent performance from Fazalhaq Farooqi, who added another three wickets to his tally in the tournament.

With that, the Afghans now face a do-or-die situation, as a loss here could spell the end of their title hopes, even before they play their final match of the round against Bangladesh on Tuesday morning.

Afghanistan have only faced the ODI and Test champions once in a T20 World Cup competition, back in the 2022 edition, and that ended in a narrow four-run defeat at the Adelaide Oval.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Australia’s hopes of becoming the first side to hold world titles in all three formats of the game simultaneously are still alive, as they head into this match looking to secure a sixth win in a row in this competition.

After getting through the group stage with little fuss, the Baggy Greens kicked off the second round of the tournament with a 28-run victory over dark horse Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday morning.

The Aussies were rewarded for the brisk start given to them by David Warner and Travis Head, as DLS deemed that they were well ahead of target when the heavens opened up in the 12th over.

Despite their good work with the bat, the day belonged to paceman Pat Cummins, who etched his name in the World Cup history books by taking only the seventh T20 World Cup hat-trick since the tournament came into existence in 2007.

With that result, Australia have now won seven of their last eight T20 internationals in all competitions, and the major concern for the rest of the sides in the tournament will be that Mitchell Marsh‘s men seem to be getting better with each game.

Team News

© Reuters

Australia’s top-order are starting to come good at the perfect time and the duo of Head and Warner are now up to fourth and sixth place in the leading run-scorer standings with 179 and 169 runs in five innings respectively.

While the headlines of the last match belonged to Cummins, Adam Zampa picked up another two wickets for the loss of just 24 runs. He is now the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition and will play a crucial role for the Aussies for the remainder of the tournament.

Whether Afghanistan make it beyond this stage of the competition, they have delivered some of the best individual player performances so far, and none more so than that of Farooqi, who is the out-and-out leading wicket-taker with 15 scalps in 18.2 overs.

Other players that have stood out for the Blue Tigers are Rashid Khan, who has nine wickets in five games and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who held the top spot in runs scored since week two, though he has slipped to fifth since the start of the Super Eight.

Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Series so far

Afghanistan

Match One: Afghanistan won by 125 runs
Afghanistan – 183/5 (20)
Uganda – 58 (16)

Match Two: Afghanistan won by 84 runs
Afghanistan – 159/6 (20)
New Zealand – 75 (15.2)

Match Three: Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Papua New Guinea – 95 (19.5)
Afghanistan – 101/3 (15.1)

Match Four: Afghanistan lost by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

Match Five: Afghanistan lost by 47 runs
India – 181/8 (20)
Afghanistan – 134 (20)

Australia

Match One: Australia won by 39 runs
Australia – 164/5 (20)
Oman – 125/9 (20)

Match Two: Australia won by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: Australia won by 9 wickets
Namibia – 72 (17)
Australia – 74/1 (5.4)

Match Four: Australia won by 5 wickets
Scotland – 180/5 (20)
Australia – 186/5 (19.4)

Match Five: Australia won by 28 runs (DLS method)
Bangladesh – 140/8 (20)
Australia – 100/2 (11.2) Target 73

© PA Photos

We say: Australia to win

Based on performance up to this point in the competition, Australia look like the side to beat and seem to be getting better with each match they play. Indeed, Afghanistan are expected to give it their all here, as they always do, but we feel it will not be enough to overcome the formidable Aussies.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between England and South Africa, scheduled to be played at the Beausejour Stadium on Friday.

Familiar foes England and South Africa will lock horns in their second match of the Super Eight phase at the 2024 T20 World Cup On Friday afternoon at the Beausejour Stadium.

Both sides come into this match off the back of impressive wins last time out, and another victory here will put them in a commanding position to reach the semi-final.

Match preview

© Reuters

After a shaky start to the tournament and squeaking through the group stage, England seem to have found top gear and will head into this encounter brimming with confidence following an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies just 24 hours ago.

Jos Buttler won the toss and sent the Windies in to bat, and there were concerns that it may have been the wrong decision, as the tournament co-hosts got off to an excellent start and posted a very defendable 180/4 in 20 overs.

In contrast to the group-stage matches, the pitches being used in the Super Eight matches have been much more batsmen-friendly, and the English bowling attack, particularly the pacemen, struggled to have much of an impact.

However, with the bat, the Three Lions flew out the traps, led by Phil Salt, who managed a tournament-high 87 runs in 47 balls, including seven fours and five sixes. He was supported well by Buttler and Jonny Bairstow, as England managed to chase down the total with 15 balls to spare.

That result would have done wonders for the side’s morale and they will also benefit from the fact that they will be playing on the same pitch in this match, while the South Africans played their last match up in Antigua and Barbuda.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, South Africa kept their perfect record in this competition intact by beating the United States in their opening match of the Super Eights at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Batting first, the Proteas posted 194/4 in 20 overs, which was their highest total of the competition by some distance, with their previous best being 115/7 against Nepal in their final group-stage match.

After a dismal group stage in which he scored just 48 runs in four innings, wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock finally broke the shackles, scoring an impressive 74 runs in 40 balls at the top of the innings, giving his side a solid platform to build on, which is something they have not had for the majority of the competition.

While the surface did not give the bowlers much assistance, Kagiso Rabada put in a solid spell, picking up his best figures in this year’s T20 World Cup of 3/18 in his four overs, helping to contain the US to 176/6.

The Proteas now face their sternest test of the competition but do have a slight psychological advantage over this opponent, having beaten them 2-1 in the most recent three-match series back in July 2022.

Team News

© Reuters

Phil Salt’s innings against the West Indies saw him move up to seventh in the leading run-scorer standings, currently on 147 in four innings at a strike rate of 181.48.

Aside from Jofra Archer, none of the English pace bowlers managed to pick up a wicket against the Windies, and Buttler may consider bringing Chris Jordan back into the starting 11, especially given the short turnaround time between games.

For Aiden Markram, the big call will be over whether to continue with two spinners in the side. Tabraiz Shamsi had an excellent outing against Nepal in the final group match but went for more than 12 runs an over against the US in the last match.

Should the Proteas’ skipper opt to go with one spinner, it would likely mean that Ottneil Baartman will return to the lineup after being left out for Shamsi in the last match.

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Series so far

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

Match Five: England won by 8 wickets
West Indies – 180/4 (20)
England – 181/2 (17.3)

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

Match Five: South Africa won by 18 runs
South Africa: 194/4 (20)
USA – 176/6 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: England to win

While South Africa have the better record in the competition, their top-order has been largely inconsistent despite having a significantly easier fixture list to this point.

England’s batsmen, on the other hand, seem to have adapted well to the conditions here in Saint Lucia and will benefit massively from having had time in the centre against the West Indies just a day earlier.

It is usually an excellent watch when these two powerhouses collide, but we feel the Three Lions have the better batting lineup to come out on top in this one.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between Australia and Bangladesh, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday.

The Super Eight phase of the 2024 T20 World Cup will resume on Friday morning with Australia taking on Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda.

Australia came through the group stage of the competition with a perfect record and won Group B, while Bangladesh defied the odds to edge Sri Lanka to a qualification spot in Group D.

Match preview

© Reuters

Australia’s dream of becoming the first side in history to hold the title in all three formats of the game simultaneously is still alive, as they emerged from the group stages as one of only three teams to have played and won all four of their scheduled fixtures.

Given the dominant fashion that they dispatched the associate nations and at no point looked likely to lose to England, there is a case to be made that they were the pick of the teams in the first round, which has also seen them shorten in price significantly, closing the gap to current tournament favourites India.

However, Mitchell Marsh‘s side are now set to encounter a very tricky situation, having been drawn into Group A, which is made up of three Asian teams, India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, which suggests that they are likely to face a trial by spin over this phase of the competition.

Notably, Marsh seems to have already taken this into consideration, as we saw him alter his bowling plans in their last group-stage match against Scotland, where he played all three of his spinners and allowed them their full four-over quotas, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were given a rest.

While the Aussies will already have one eye on their blockbuster matchup against India next week, they will know that they cannot overlook Bangladesh, having suffered a 4-1 defeat to the Tigers in their last five-match series at the end of 2021.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Bangladesh got their T20 World Cup campaign started on a high note, securing an opening-match victory against Sri Lanka with a successful chase of 125 in 19 overs, led by Towhid Hridoy‘s explosive 40 runs off 20 balls.

The Tigers’ only setback in the first round came against South Africa in game two, where they narrowly lost by four runs in a closely contested game that they might feel slipped through their fingers.

In their final group-stage fixture, Bangladesh overcame Nepal with a 21-run victory, thanks to a career-best four-wicket haul by Tanzim Hasan Sakib that helped earn their place in the Super Eights, aiming for their first ICC Trophy.

Sakib is now one of four bowlers currently tied for second place in the leading wicket-taker standings with nine wickets during the first round of the competition, three behind outright leader Fazalhaq Farooqi of Afghanistan.

Bangladesh have competed in all nine editions of the T20 World Cup and possess an all-time record of 12 wins, 29 losses and one no-result in 42 games. This is only the second time they have reached the Super Eight phase in the 12-team format of the competition.

Team News

© Reuters

In his debut T20 World Cup match, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was given the new ball against Scotland and delivered a spell of 4-0-39-1. It will be interesting to see if Marsh maintains the same tactic or reverts to his pacemen from the start.

Earlier this week, it was announced that all-rounder Marcus Stoinis had ascended to the number one position in the ICC Men’s T20I all-rounder rankings, thanks to his exceptional performance in this competition.

In the latest ICC rankings, Stoinis leads with a rating of 231, followed by Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga in second place and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan in third.

Speaking of Al Hasan, the Bangladesh veteran has had a fairly quiet tournament, managing only one innings of real significance, when he helped his side to victory over the Netherlands with an excellent unbeaten 64 of 46 balls in game three.

While Tanzim Sakib has gained most of the headlines for his bowling performances in the competition, Mustafizur Rahman has largely gone under the radar but has been just as valuable to the Tigers. The left-armer has taken seven wickets in four games and rounds out the current top-10 leading wicket-takers in the tournament.

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Series so far

Australia

Match One: Australia won by 39 runs
Australia – 164/5 (20)
Oman – 125/9 (20)

Match Two: Australia won by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: Australia won by 9 wickets
Namibia – 72 (17)
Australia – 74/1 (5.4)

Match Four: Australia won by 5 wickets
Scotland – 180/5 (20)
Australia – 186/5 (19.4)

Bangladesh

Match One: Bangladesh won by 2 wickets
Sri Lanka – 124/9 (20)
Bangladesh – 125/8 (19)

Match Two: Bangladesh lost by 2 wickets
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Three – Bangladesh won by 25 runs
Bangladesh – 159/5 (20)
Netherlands – 134/8 (20)

Match Four: Bangladesh won by 21 runs
Bangladesh – 106 (19.3)
Nepal – 85 (19.2)

© PA Photos

We say: Australia to win

While Bangladesh have done very well to this point, they have not faced any side that has looked as good as Australia in this tournament. The Baggy Greens have barely broken a sweat so far and we feel they will win this match fairly comfortably.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between England and the West Indies, scheduled to be played at the Beausejour Stadium on Thursday.

England will play their first match under lights at the 2024 T20 World Cup this week when they take on the West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia on Thursday.

This has all the ingredients to turn into one of the matches of the competition between an in-form home team, spurred on by a jubilant crowd, versus the defending champions, who are eager to get into their stride.

Match preview

© Reuters

England fans were put through the wringer during the group stages, as they saw their side get off to a miserable start that put them on the brink of elimination, before catching a break in the final group-stage match to keep their title defence alive.

Despite finishing tied on five points with neighbours Scotland, the Three Lions managed to get through to the Super Eight by the skin of their teeth, thanks to two big wins in their third and fourth group-stage matches against Oman and Namibia respectively.

Having dodged another early exit, following their ODI World Cup disappointment, England will now need a solid showing in their first match of the second round, though their recent trip to the Caribbean to face the Windies proved to be a difficult one, and ended in a 3-2 series defeat back in December.

Notably, during that series, a total of 120 sixes were struck between the sides, and based on the Windies’ match against Afghanistan on this same strip last week, this could easily turn into a run-fest.

The relatively short boundaries will be a welcome sight for Jos Buttler‘s side, who will play here twice in this round of the competition, with a matchup against South Africa to follow after this one.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, after years of underperformance and issues behind the scenes, West Indies are steadily earning back the right to be considered as one of the elite teams in the world, particularly in the white-ball format.

They were one of only three teams, along with Australia and the Proteas, that played and won all four of their group-stages games, capping off their unbeaten record in the first round with a commanding 104-run victory over Afghanistan 48 hours ago.

Nicholas Pooran, who is coming off a sensational Indian Premier League campaign with the Lucknow Super Giants, blasted an excellent 98 runs off 53 balls, which is the highest individual score in the tournament so far, helping his side to a tournament-high of 218.

Amid the chaos in their last match, a World Cup record powerplay was produced of 92 runs, a record-equalling 36 was scored in the fourth over, and Rashid Khan, T20’s master illusionist, was taken for 24 in his final over.

With that result, the Windies have now won their last nine T20 internationals, excluding no-results. They also have a fantastic T20 World Cup record against the Three Lions, losing only once in their six previous encounters.

Team News

© Reuters

Sam Curran made his tournament debut in England’s rain-shortened game against Namibia on Saturday, with him and Chris Jordan coming in for Will Jacks and Mark Wood.

England suffered a significant injury blow ahead of this match, with Liam Livingstone forced to leave training early on Monday due to a niggle in his side, putting his participation in doubt.

Matthew Mott and Buttler will need to make a call over whether to reinstate Jacks at number three or if their batting line-up is better balanced with Jonny Bairstow and Harry Brook moving up to three and four respectively.

One of the most intriguing matchups here will be Rovman Powell‘s left-arm spin duo, Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie, facing Buttler’s predominantly right-handed batting lineup.

In the tournament so far, the duo has collectively claimed 12 wickets while maintaining an economy rate of under five runs per over. Hosein’s inswinging arm-ball has been a potent weapon and one that the English will need to be wary of.

England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

Series so far

England

Match One: No Result

Match Two: England lost by 36 runs
Australia – 201/7 (20)
England – 165/6 (20)

Match Three: England won by eight wickets
Oman – 47 (13.2)
England – 50/2 (3.1)

Match Four: England won by 41 runs (DLS method)
England – 122/8 (10)
Namibia – 84/3 (10)

West Indies

Match One: West Indies won by five wickets
Papua New Guinea – 136/8 (20)
West Indies – 137/5 (19)

Match Two: West Indies won by 134 runs
West Indies – 173/5 (20)
Uganda – 39 (12)

Match Three: West Indies won by 13 runs
West Indies – 149/9 (20)
New Zealand – 136/9 (20)

Match Four: West Indies won by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

© PA Photos

We say: West Indies to win

Alongside Australia, the West Indies emerged as the best side in the group stage of the competition and have the advantage of having played on this very wicket just two days ago.

The Windies also have an incredible T20 record against England, and while this pitch will support the Three Lions’ big-hitting, we feel the hosts will come away with the victory in a high-scoring affair.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between Afghanistan and India, scheduled to be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday.

India and Afghanistan will get their Super Eight phase of the 2024 T20 World Cup underway when they face off at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday afternoon.

This promises to be an intriguing clash between the tournament favourites and number-one-ranked T20 side in the world, and the team that have been dubbed the dark horse of the tournament.

Match preview

© Reuters

Few can forget the last time these sides met in Bengaluru, in what was one of the most incredible T20 matchups ever seen, as a high-scoring 212-212 tie was followed by not one but two super overs before India emerged victorious.

Afghanistan reaffirmed their emerging status as the surprise contenders of the 2024 T20 World Cup with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea on Thursday, which propelled them into the Super Eight phase of the competition, while simultaneously eliminating New Zealand from the tournament.

However, that was followed by a massive defeat to the West Indies in a dead-rubber final match of the group stage on Tuesday, where we saw several records broken thanks to an inspired innings by Nicholas Pooran.

The Blue Tigers ended on the wrong side of a 218/5 total posted by the Windies, which is the highest total by any team in this edition of the T20 World Cup, surpassing Sri Lanka’s 201/6 against the Netherlands and Australia’s 201/7 versus the defending champions England in Barbados.

While Afghanistan have won over several fans in this competition due to their ‘lay it all on the line’ approach, they now have to face the mighty Men in Blue, who they have never got the better off in the shortest format of the game.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, India secured their place in the Super Eight stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup by defeating the USA in their third Group A match at the much-spoken-about Nassau County International Stadium in New York.

Prior to that, the team had overcome Ireland and arch-rivals Pakistan, securing the top spot in Group A, despite their final match against Canada in Florida on Saturday being abandoned due to weather conditions.

India won the first-ever T20 World Cup back in 2007 in South Africa when they lost their first Super Eight match to New Zealand. However, they bounced back in style to finish top of the table before the MS Dhoni-led side went on to lift the trophy.

In the 2022 tournament, under the guidance of Rohit Sharma, India again finished top of the table despite a loss against South Africa, before being beaten by eventual title holders England in the semis.

After a disappointing home ODI World Cup last year, the Men in Blue will be doubly determined to achieve success in the 20-over format, and most would likely agree they still have a fair few gears to go through, having hardly been challenged to this point.

Team News

© Reuters

To put into perspective just how well the Blue Tigers have performed to this point, we can glance at the current top performers, which shows Afghanistan players currently sitting atop the charts.

Fazalhaq Farooqi extended his lead as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker by claiming three more victims, as PNG were dismissed for just 95 in 19.5 overs while batting first in the Group C match at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad.

Despite being dismissed for a duck in the last match, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the current leading run-scorer in the tournament with 167 runs and a strike-rate of 150.45.

In the lead-up to this match, Sharma mentioned the importance of retaining all four of his all-rounders in the squad to provide the team with greater balance on the tricky wickets in the US and Caribbean.

Therefore, the India captain will be left with a major decision to make, particularly around whether to favour the wrist-spin of Kuldeep Yadav above one of his pacemen.

One player that will be determined to hit his stride in the Super Eight is Virat Kohli, who will have fond memories of this opponent, having scored his first ton in the shortest format when the sides faced off in the Asia Cup in 2022.

Afghanistan squad: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Series so far

Afghanistan

Match One: Afghanistan won by 125 runs
Afghanistan – 183/5 (20)
Uganda – 58 (16)

Match Two: Afghanistan won by 84 runs
Afghanistan – 159/6 (20)
New Zealand – 75 (15.2)

Match Three: Afghanistan won by 7 wickets
Papua New Guinea – 95 (19.5)
Afghanistan – 101/3 (15.1)

Match Four: Afghanistan lost by 104 runs
West Indies – 218/5 (20)
Afghanistan – 114 (16.2)

India

Match One: India won by 8 wickets
Ireland – 96 (16)
India – 97/2 (12.2)

Match Two: India won by 6 runs
India – 119 (19)
Pakistan – 113/7 (20)

Match Three: India won by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

© PA Photos

We say: India to win

India have got to the Super Eight having barely broken a sweat, living up to expectations as the tournament favourite. While Afghanistan have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch this year, they have never beaten the Men in Blue in a T20I and we feel they will suffer another defeat in this one.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between the United States and South Africa, scheduled to be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Wednesday.

The T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight stage gets underway on Wednesday afternoon with co-hosts United States taking on South Africa at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

During the Super Eight stage, the eight qualifying teams are split into two pools of four and will battle in a round-robin format, with the top two sides progressing to the semi-final.

Match preview

© Imago

The United States qualified for the tournament as co-hosts with the West Indies, but they have made full use of their home advantage, creating an incredible first impression in their first-ever major cricket tournament.

They made the perfect start to the competition, beating neighbours Canada before pulling off the upset of the tournament, beating former champions Pakistan in a gripping super over by five runs in game two.

A defeat to India followed in game three before the rain in Florida washed out their final group match against Ireland at Broward County Stadium on Friday, giving them the point needed to edge the Shaheens to the second round.

Additionally, the USA’s progression to the Super Eight of this competition also sees them qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026, which will be hosted in the sub-continent by India and Sri Lanka.

While the side will be brimming with confidence, they will now be playing their first away game of the tournament, and the fact they have never won a game outside of US soil will undoubtedly be playing on their mind.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, South Africa came through the group stage as one of the teams that had to battle the now-infamous Nassau County pitch where they played three games, including a particularly tricky one against Bangladesh.

The Proteas were one of only three teams that played and won all four of their group-stage matches, though their perfect record was in serious jeopardy last week when they just about staved off an almighty upset by Nepal, who came up just one run short to victory in Kingstown.

Still, most from a South African persuasion would likely agree that while the side did maintain an unbeaten record in the group, there is massive room for improvement, particularly in the performances of their top-order, who have largely failed to give the side a proper platform to work with.

The Protea’s bowling attack, though, has looked good, with the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen maintaining economical figures, while Anrich Nortje is the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition with nine scalps in 16 overs so far.

South Africa need to make quick adjustments to a better batting surface here in the Caribbean, and if their top order is able to re-find its form, they should be too strong for the US in this one.

Team News

© Reuters

The US were without the services of captain Monank Patel for their match against India due to an injury, but he has reportedly recovered fully and is expected to return to the starting lineup for this match.

Patel will also benefit from having the likes of South African-born players Andries Gous and Shadley van Schalkwyk in his side – both of whom have vast experience in the domestic game in their homeland.

South Africa, on the other hand, will have to be mindful of managing their player’s workload if they are to progress in the competition, but could be tempted to go with two spinners for this match, with the pitch in Antigua expected to favour slower bowling.

While the top order has failed to impress so far, the Proteas middle-order, particularly Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller have been rock solid, with the latter currently being the leading run-scorer in this World Cup for the team, and the only one who has registered a half-century.

United States squad: Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Series so far

United States

Match One: USA won by 7 wickets
Canada – 194/5 (20)
USA – 197/3 (17.4)

Match Two: USA won the super over by 5 runs
Pakistan – 159/7 & 13/1
USA – 159/3 & 18/1

Match Three: USA lost by 7 wickets
USA – 110/8 (20)
India – 111/3 (18.2)

Match Four: No Result

South Africa

Match One: South Africa won by 6 wickets
Sri Lanka 77 (19.1)
South Africa – 80/4 (16.2)

Match Two: South Africa won by 4 wickets
Netherlands – 103/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Match Three: South Africa won by 4 runs
South Africa – 113/6 (20)
Bangladesh – 109/7 (20)

Match Four: South Africa won by 1 run
South Africa – 115/7 (20)
Nepal – 114/7 (20)

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

The US have been a joy to watch in this competition, but they showed against India that they are still some way from being able to go toe-to-toe with the elite cricketing nations in the world. Therefore, while South Africa have not been at their best, we feel they will be too good for the co-hosts in this one.

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