T20 World Cup 2021: AUS vs SA Preview – All-round Australia face in-form South Africa

The T20 World Cup, from the Super 12 stage, will witness the top teams locking horns. Australia and South Africa will face each other in the first game of this round. Both the sides played two warm-up games each and must have got hold of the conditions on offer. South Africa won both their matches against Afghanistan and Pakistan while Australia won the last-over thriller against New Zealand before being brushed aside by India.

As for their performance in the lead up to the World Cup, South Africa won nine out of 10 T20Is and are looking like a force to reckon with. Australia, meanwhile, lost both their series prior to the World Cup but they are now playing with a full-strength and expect a special performance from them.

Head to head

Match Details

T20 WC 2021, Super 12 – Match 13: Australia vs South Africa

Venue – Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Time – 3:30 PM IST

Team News

Australia

Aaron Finch, ahead of the game, confirmed that Australia will go with four specialist bowlers only in the pre-match conference. Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis will have the responsibility to deliver four overs of the fifth bowler between them. Also, Starc and Cummins could be the two pacers while it remains to be seen if Josh Hazlewood makes it to the playing XI. Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar are likely to be the two spinners.

South Africa

South Africa have an injury concern in Tabraiz Shamsi who sustained a mild groin injury during their previous warm-up game. Though he is recovering well, he will have to undergo a fitness test to play the game. It also remains to be seen if Keshav Maharaj gets a game with Bjorn Fortuin being the other spinner. Skipper Bavuma is fit and may open the innings with Quinton de Kock. The pace bowlers Nortje and Rabada pick themselves.

Probable XI