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Both England and South Africa enter this match reeling from shocking defeats in their most recent outings.
England's unexpected loss to Afghanistan dealt a severe blow to their prospects of reaching the semi-finals, leaving the defending champions with a mere one win and two points from their initial three matches.
South Africa, who started the tournament brilliantly, saw their momentum abruptly halted by the Netherlands.
The prospect of these two teams seeking redemption at the Wankhede Stadium adds an extra layer of excitement. This Mumbai venue is renowned for its batting-friendly conditions, and both sides are known for their power-hitting capabilities at the tournament.
For Jos Buttler's squad, a victory would put them back into contention for a spot in the knockout stages, and they may receive a boost with Ben Stokes expected to return to the lineup after recovering from injury.
South Africa, on the other hand, could significantly strengthen their semi-final aspirations with a win, drawing inspiration from their 2-1 series victory over England earlier in the year.
When: October 21, 2023, 2:00 PM IST
Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Teams
England:
Ben Stokes, the cricketing powerhouse, is making his return. He's recovered from a hip problem and is expected to play his first match of the tournament. Well, half of Ben Stokes, at least, as he won't be taking up bowling duties. Nevertheless, having 50% of a talismanic allrounder is far better than having none at all.
The primary objective appears to be maximizing the number of seam bowlers in the lineup. The conundrum lies in deciding which seamers to include. Sam Curran, who has struggled in the tournament, might make way for David Willey. Stokes' inclusion may come at the expense of Adil Rashid, leaving Joe Root to shoulder the responsibilities of a spinner.
Tactically and strategically, England's approach has become more intricate. A team known for playing straightforward cricket for years now faces several dilemmas. Foremost among these is the question: where has England's characteristic decisiveness gone? Their prior assertiveness was notably absent in the first three games. However, a glimmer of hope emerged as their top three batsmen, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, and Joe Root, collectively notched two fifties and a century in their most recent match against Bangladesh in Dharamsala, with Reece Topley's impressive 4/43 suggesting signs of improvement.
South Africa:
It might appear surprising that an XI who suffered a convincing defeat in their previous match would likely be retained, but that's the expected course of action. South Africa's ongoing dilemma in this tournament revolves around choosing between Gerald Coetzee and Tabraiz Shamsi, with Coetzee seemingly on track to secure a spot this time.
In terms of tactics and strategy, the plan is to score heavily and then aim to defend as robustly. South Africa's vulnerability lies in their bowling department. The Dutch demonstrated this by accumulating 104 runs in the last nine overs. While the batting unit is under less scrutiny, the World Cup's highly touted top six will be smarting from being reduced to a precarious 44/4 by the Netherlands.
Squads:
South Africa Squad: Temba Bavuma(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Reeza Hendricks, Lizaad Williams
England Squad: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler(w/c), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson
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me too. Anyways Netherland can beat SL and grab pak spot on table tomorrow.
