Ahmedabad: The world’s largest cricket stadium, Narendra Modi Stadium, has already witnessed five high-scoring matches in this edition of the World Cup. A similar run-fest could be on the cards today as South Africa take on West Indies in their Super Eight encounter starting at 3:00 PM.
Both South Africa and West Indies remain unbeaten in the tournament so far. The team that wins today will virtually confirm its place in the semi-finals, while the losing side may be forced to rethink its strategy in the remaining fixtures.
Both squads boast several match-winners and have displayed strong form throughout the competition.
Head-to-Head Record
South Africa and West Indies have faced each other in 29 T20 Internationals. West Indies have won 15 matches, while South Africa have claimed 14 victories.
However, in the history of the T20 World Cup, the two sides have met five times. South Africa have won four of those encounters, while West Indies have registered one win.
That lone West Indies victory came during the 2016 World Cup in Nagpur, when the Caribbean side, led by Darren Sammy, defeated South Africa by three wickets. West Indies went on to lift the title that year. Sammy is currently serving as the head coach of the West Indies team.
Probable Playing XIs
South Africa:
Aiden Markram (Captain), Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock (Wicketkeeper), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.
West Indies:
Shai Hope (Captain & Wicketkeeper), Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein/Roston Chase, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.
How Will The Ahmedabad Pitch Play?
The match in Ahmedabad will begin in the afternoon heat, with temperatures expected to hover around 33°C. The team batting first will likely feel the pressure to post a massive total.
The game will be played on Pitch No. 7, which is expected to produce plenty of boundaries, much to the delight of an anticipated crowd of 80,000 to 90,000 spectators. The red-soil surface is known to offer extra bounce to bowlers.
Overall, given the presence of several hard-hitters in both line-ups, batters are expected to make greater use of the conditions than bowlers, setting the stage for another high-scoring World Cup contest in Ahmedabad.
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