England and South Africa look to bounce back as Cricket World Cup lands in Mumbai
Saturday 21 October, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Both England and South Africa come into this match having been on the receiving end of huge shocks in their most recent fixtures.
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England’s loss to Afghanistan was a huge blow to their semi-final chances, leaving the defending champions with just one win and two points from their first three matches.
And South Africa saw their brilliant start to the tournament come to a shuddering halt against Netherlands.
The fact that these two teams will be looking to bounce back at the Wankhede is particularly exciting, with the Mumbai ground known for being batting-friendly, and these two sides being amongst the biggest-hitters at the tournament.
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Behind the scenes with Shaun Pollock at South Africa training ahead of the heavyweight clash with England at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023
A win for Jos Buttler’s side would put them right back in the mix for a knockout stages spot, and they could be boosted by the expected return of Ben Stokes to their lineup after injury.
South Africa would strengthen their semi-final credentials significantly with a victory of their own, and will take heart from a 2-1 series victory when these teams met earlier in the year.
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England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
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England - Reece Topley
Taking early wickets and exposing the South African middle order early is going to be key for England’s struggling bowling attack, and Reece Topley is likely to be the key man to do that.
The tall left-armer is typically excellent in the opening powerplay, and will have a huge role to play.
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South Africa – Quinton de Kock
Fast starts were key to both of South Africa’s opening wins, with the excellent Quinton de Kock laying the foundations for his team’s huge totals on both occasions.
His 84-ball century against Sri Lanka was classy enough on its own, never mind the platform it set for his team’s big-hitting middle order. And he was at it again against Australia with another ton, once again scored at better than a run-a-ball.
South Africa’s numbers four to six are immensely powerful, but they need a platform to launch off, and De Kock is the key man to build that.
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