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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 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 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 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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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between South Africa and Bangladesh, scheduled to be played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

South Africa will look to set one foot in the Super Eight of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup when they take on Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Monday afternoon.

The Proteas currently lead ‘the group of death’ with a perfect two-for-two record, while the Tigers have got off to a promising start, beating Sri Lanka in their tournament opener on Saturday.

Match preview

© Reuters

South Africa have made the perfect start in their quest to earn their first T20 World Cup title, rattling off back-to-back convincing victories over Sri Lanka in their first match before overcoming bogey side the Netherlands on Saturday afternoon.

In the first match, the Proteas reduced the Lions to their lowest T20I total of 77 all out in 19.1 overs and chased it down in fairly straightforward fashion thanks to what many consider the side’s most stable middle-order of their white-ball era.

As it turned out, it was the South African middle-order that did the business again in match two, with David Miller scoring a meticulous and unbeaten 59 from 51 balls, helping his side recover from a shocking 12-4 start to claim a tense victory by four wickets with seven balls to spare.

Ottniel Baartman, who is the leading South African wicket-taker in T20s this year, delivered another stellar performance, taking four wickets and achieving his career-best figures of 4/11, as South Africa restricted the Netherlands to 103 for nine wickets in their 20-over allotment.

Up next for the Proteas are Bangladesh, a side that they have beaten in all eight of their previous T20I encounters, including in each of the last two editions of this tournament, and while another victory here will not guarantee their qualification just yet, it will put them firmly in the driver’s seat to reach the next round.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s T20 record leading up to this tournament was far from convincing, as they suffered series losses to Sri Lanka and the United States before being blown away by India in their warm-up match at the start of the month.

However, all of those results will feel like a long time ago for the Tigers now after they upset the bookmakers by pulling off a two-wicket victory in a gripping encounter against the Lions in Texas over the weekend.

After a fairly poor start with the ball, Rishad Hossain changed the momentum of the innings by producing a brilliant spell of leg-spin, notching up his career-best T20I figures of 3/22 as Bangladesh fought back to restrict Sri Lanka to 124-9.

Liton Das (36) and Towhid Hridoy (40) then put Bangladesh in a commanding position in their run chase before some excellent pace bowling from Nuwan Thushara (4/18) in his second spell threatened a late twist in the plot. However, veteran Mahmudullah used all his experience to guide Bangladesh over the line with an unbeaten 16.

According to the pre-tournament odds, Sri Lanka were fancied to join South Africa in the next round of the competition, but owing to the Lions’ atrocious first two results, Bangladesh will now have the Super Eight firmly in their sights, and reaching that milestone will likely depend heavily on the result against the Flying Dutchmen, who they face on June 13.

Team News

© Reuters

Tristan Stubbs seems to have carried his excellent form in the Indian Premier League to this tournament, and his 33 off 37 in a crucial 65-run partnership was key to South Africa’s victory over the Netherlands last weekend.

Reeza Hendricks‘ spot in the side is now undoubtedly under scrutiny after he suffered another cheap dismissal at the top of the order on Saturday. The opener now has the lowest strike rate in T20Is among South Africa’s top six batsmen.

After producing his career-best numbers in match one, Anrich Nortje was rapid yet again in match two, adding another two wickets to his tally, and he should almost certainly retain his spot for this match.

Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar both failed at the top of the order, contributing three runs between them, and the pair will likely be given one more opportunity here before Najmul Hossain Shanto considers a few changes.

Youngster Rishad Hossain has emerged as one to watch in this competition and will likely carry the majority of the spin bowling responsibilities alongside veteran and the number-one-ranked T20 all-rounder in the world Shakib Al Hasan.

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel 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. Reserves: Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.

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 – 109/9 (20)
South Africa – 106/6 (18.5)

Bangladesh

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

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

South Africa have undoubtedly been the pick of the sides in Group D up to this point, and their player’s involvement in the recently completed IPL seems to have done wonders as they look fit and sharp both with the bat and ball.

While Bangladesh can never be overlooked in the shortest format of the game, their record against the Proteas is very poor, and we feel they will struggle to match the quality of the Southern Hemisphere side in this one.

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Sports Mole previews the 2024 T20 World Cup match between South Africa and the Netherlands, scheduled to be played the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

Group D leaders South Africa will face second-placed Netherlands in match 16 of the 2024 T20 World Cup on Saturday afternoon at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

The Netherlands have become the Proteas bogey team at ICC events over the past two years, having defeated the South African national team in their last two World Cup encounters.

Match preview

© Reuters

Netherlands have shown steady improvement in recent years, with their recent successes in both the ODI and T20 formats partly attributable to their successful recruitment of Dutch passport-holders from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the subcontinent.

The Flying Dutchmen will enter this match with confidence following a victory over Nepal in their T20 World Cup opening match where Max O’Dowd led the team with a stellar batting display, ending unbeaten on 54 en route to chasing down 106 with six wickets and eight balls to spare.

This is the seventh time the Dutch national side have reached the T20 World Cup, and they have earned several notable victories along the way, including two famous wins over England at Lord’s in 2009 and Chittagong in 2014, as well as recent triumphs against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

While direct qualification for this competition deprived the Netherlands of several potential fixtures in this format, 2023 proved to be a year primarily focused on their ODI campaign in which they qualified for the ODI World Cup and achieved victories over the Proteas and Bangladesh – both of whom are once again in their group in this tournament.

In fact, since the last World Cup 18 months ago, they have played only nine T20Is, winning a tri-series in Nepal, which included Namibia and the hosts in February-March and hosted another with Ireland and Scotland last month.

© Reuters

Meanwhile, South Africa will be out for revenge here, after they buckled under the pressure the last time these sides met in the T20 World Cup when Brandon Glover (3/9) bowled the Netherlands to a famous victory that robbed the Proteas of a place in the 2022 semi-final.

The Proteas started their 2024 T20 World Cup campaign impressively with a dominant win over Sri Lanka, spearheaded by an outstanding bowling display from Anrich Nortje, who notched up a career-best 4/7, as South Africa limited Sri Lanka to a meagre total of 77.

Perhaps the one disappointment for the South Africans in that match was the performance of their top-order, who were dismissed cheaply, although Heinrich Klaasen and the dependable David Miller got the side over the line with a little over three overs to spare.

Klaasen has been in sensational form over the last year and was part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad that recorded the highest total in Indian Premier League history last month, 287/3, against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Given the recent history between these sides, the Proteas will know better than any that they cannot afford to ease up against this opponent and will benefit massively from having had a taste of cricket in the Big Apple’s pop-up stadium on Monday.

Team News

© Reuters

Against Nepal, Logan van Beek excelled with the ball, taking three wickets for just 18 runs, while Tim Pringle also impressed, claiming three wickets and finishing with figures of 3-20 off four overs. Both players are expected to lead the attack again in this match.

Sybrand Engelbrecht will be a player to keep an eye on in this tournament, having made an immediate impact since returning to cricket. The South African-born batsman had an impressive ODI World Cup campaign and currently averages more than 50 at a strike rate of over 150 in the shortest format.

The Proteas will be looking for a better foundation from their top order, particularly Quinton de Kock, who had a fairly average Indian Premier League campaign with the Lucknow Super Giants over the last two months.

After his excellent spell against Sri Lanka, Notje will almost certainly retain his place in the squad and will serve as the change-up to quicks Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada with the new ball. Keshav Maharaj is expected to carry the spin responsibilities, while Tabraiz Shamsi will be hoping to make the starting 11 after sitting out the first match.

Netherlands squad: Scott Edwards (c), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, â â Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi. Reserve: Kyle Klein

South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel 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

Netherlands

Match One: Netherlands won by 6 wickets
Nepal – 106 (19.2)
Netherlands – 109/4 (18.4)

South Africa

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

© PA Photos

We say: South Africa to win

While the Netherlands have emerged victorious in the last two World Cup encounters between these sides, there have also been a couple of one-sided matches the other way too, with South Africa dominating the Dutchmen from gun to tape and the Proteas look like they mean business this year.

It is always an intriguing matchup when these two meet and it should be no different this time, but we feel the side from the Southern Hemisphere will get their revenge in this one.

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By: Ed Weaver  /  October 3, 2023  /  Photo: Ed Weaver

The Wellsboro Volleyball team needed 5 sets to defeat South Williamsport 3-2 on Monday, October 2 during Senior Night.

South Williamsport won the first set 28-26 after taking an early lead over the Lady Hornets. Wellsboro battled back to tie it at 20 before South edged them for the early win. Both teams split the next three sets with Wellsboro winning set two 25-20, South winning the third set 25-17, and Wellsboro claiming the 4th set victory 25-13 to force the 5th and final set.

Wellsboro won the final set 15-10 to close out the match and claim their third straight win.

“It was definitely not what we were expecting but the girls came back from a tough start, came together as a team and worked hard,” first year head coach Darci Warriner said. “This was the group I started volunteering with so to be there for them all four years and finally end with them on their senior night is a good feeling.”

Senior
Natalie Cleveland led the Lady Hornets with 22 digs while senior Meredith Brownlee scored 15 points (4 aces) and recorded 10 kills and 7 digs.

Junior
Lexi Urena had 20 kills, 14 points (4 aces) and 5 digs, freshman
Blake Eckart had 7 kills and a block, sophomore
Taylor Main had 17 points and 12 points, and freshman Ellie Largey had 5 assists.

Wellsboro won the JV game 2-0 to improve to 9-3 on the year. They won the first set 25-12 and shut out the Lady Mounties in the second set behind 25 points from freshman Madison Cruttenden.

The Lady Hornets improve to 8-5 overall. They return home later this evening to take on rival North Penn-Liberty.

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By: Ed Weaver  /  October 8, 2019  /  Photo: Ed Weaver

Senior Caitlyn Callahan recorded her 750th career kill as the Wellsboro Varsity Volleyball team swept South Williamsport on Monday, October 7.

Callahan needed just 16 digs coming into Monday’s match. Late in the third set Callahan hit 750, then recorded kill #751 to end the match.

“I knew I was close and wasn’t really thinking about it,” Callahan said post-match. “I was thinking it would happen in one of the upcoming 3 matches but I’m glad I got it at home in front of fans, my family, and all my friends. I couldn’t have done this without my teammates, my family, the student section, and everyone who has supported me throughout the years.”

Callahan joins former Lady Hornet Hannah Zuchowski as the only two members of the elite club.

“I feel so honored to have my name (up on the banner),” continued Callahan. “It’s just going to feel so great being able to come back to Wellsboro and see my name up there and know that I left my mark. And to show my future kids that I was actually an athlete, who knows if they’ll believe it, it’s going to be super cool knowing how much hard work I put into everything.”

“I am very pleased to have the opportunity to see another player reach such an outstanding accomplishment,” head coach Sharon Zuchowski said. “Caitlyn is the second Wellsboro player to reach 750 kills and that is quite an incredible feat considering tournament stats are not included. She is a strong hitter and will be a great addition to the college she chooses to attend next year.”

Wellsboro dominated the match winning 25-2, 25-5, and 25-0.

Callahan had 17 kills on the night, senior Megan Starkweather had 11 points, 8 assists, and 3 kills, junior Shiloh Duff had 17 points (4 aces), and junior Bailey Monks had 5 kills. Junior Breighanna Kemp had 12 assists and 34 points (4 aces) to lead the Lady Hornets, as she went a perfect 25-for-25 at the service line in the third set.

Wellsboro started the night with a 2-0 (25-5, 25-11) win in the JV match to impove to 12-2 overall.

The win improves the Lady Hornets’ record to 13-1 before they travel to take on Williamsport on Wednesday, October 9.

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