ICC World Cup 2019 Match 15, South Africa v West Indies: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

This World Cup has been calamitous for South Africa so far. There have been injuries to key players, they have lost one of their all-time greats to an injury picked up before the tournament had begun, and have lost three games in a row. To make things gloomier for South Africa fans, it has now been learnt that AB de Villiers, arguably South Africa’s greatest limited-overs batsman, who had retired from international cricket in May 2018 had made a last-moment bid to return to international cricket for the World Cup only to be foiled by the team management.

However, there is still an outside chance of the Proteas making the semi-final if they win all of their remaining six matches. But the path won’t be easy – first up, they clash against a full-strength West Indies in Southampton.

The West Indies swept aside Pakistan in their first match but were humbled by Australia in the second. This was not before the Caribbean pacers had reduced the Australian side to 79/5 at which point Nathan Coulter-Nile and Steve Smith led a recovery.

Then, Shai Hope and Jason Holder’s fifties kept their side in the game until the final five overs, when some excellent death bowling from Mitchell Starc sealed the deal for Australia. The fast-bowling group of Oshane Thomas, Andre Russell, Sheldon Cottrell, Carlos Brathwaite and Holder has troubled all batting line-ups they have come up against and are expected to do the same on Monday.

South Africa will hope that their batsmen fare better than how they did against India, when they were limited to 227/9. Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock will have to step up and get the bulk of the runs. Beuran Hendricks, flown in as the replacement for Dale Steyn, may get to make his World Cup debut. Kagiso Rabada, who was probably at his best against India, will look to make in-roads into the West Indies line-up comprising of Chris Gayle at the top and Russell in the finisher’s spot.

Head to head

South Africa hold a 44-15 lead over the West Indies in ODI head-to-head but the teams are tied 2-2 in World Cup clashes. The last time the two teams met was in a tri-nation series in the Caribbean where the West Indies won two of the three clashes.

Key players

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa): Rabada bowled with pace and extracted movement off the surface in the game against India at Southampton and dismissed one of the Indian opening batsmen. He should have known the conditions well by now. The leader of the South African pace attack will look to get wickets with the new ball.

Andre Russell (West Indies): The all-rounder has had issues with his knee and has hobbled off the field now and then, but that hasn’t taken away the venom from his bowling. Capable of clearing any ground in the world, Russell could yet be the West Indies’ MVP.

Likely XIs

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis (c), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Beuran Hendricks, Imran Tahir.

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope (wk), Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder (c), Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas.

Prediction

The West Indies fast bowlers make lives difficult for the South African batsmen and prevent the Proteas from getting a big total.