Australia and South Africa will face each other in the 7th ODI of the ongoing Champions Trophy on 25th February at Rawalpindi.
Match Preview:
The two semi-finalists of the ODI World Cup 2023 will now face off against each other in Rawalpindi. Their semi-final clash was a low-scoring thriller, but the upcoming game in Pindi is expected to be a high-scoring contest.
Both South Africa and Australia are in good form, coming off victories in their opening encounters against Afghanistan and England, respectively.
Playing on a batting-friendly surface means South Africa may miss the presence of Anrich Nortje and Gerald Coetzee even more. Their bowling unit could have a tough outing, but their batting lineup looks solid and in form.
Ryan Rickelton smashed his maiden ODI century in the tournament opener, while Rassie van der Dussen rediscovered his rhythm with his first half-century in 11 innings. Aiden Markram also looked in great touch. Notably, these performances came against a strong bowling attack, which should give them confidence in tackling Australia’s bowlers, even when chasing.
Talking about Australia’s confidence will be sky-high after successfully chasing the highest total in the tournament’s history—351 runs—against arch-rivals England.
Although they will be missing some key bowlers, Nathan Ellis will be crucial. He bowled superbly in the first match, conceding less than six runs per over in a game where 707 runs were scored in 97.3 overs—an outstanding feat.
Their batting department looked sharp against England. The decision to play both Josh Inglis and Alex Carey proved successful, as the wicketkeeper duo’s partnership played a decisive role in securing victory for the reigning World Cup champions.
While a win for either side won’t finalize the qualification scenario, it will certainly make things more interesting for Group B teams.
Probable Playing XI:
Australia: (possible) 1 Matthew Short, 2 Travis Head, 3 Steve Smith (capt), 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Alex Carey, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Ben Dwarshuis, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Spencer Johnson
South Africa (possible): 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Wiaan Mulder, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi
Pitch and weather report:
The pitch appears to be another flat surface, primed for a high-scoring encounter. Captain Temba Bavuma observed dew during the practice session, and Australia’s Alex Carey also expects a batting-friendly wicket.
As for the weather, there is a forecast of drizzle in the afternoon, which could have an impact on the match.
Head-to-head record:
A total of 110 ODIs have been played between these two teams, with South Africa winning 55 times and Australia securing victory on 51 occasions. Additionally, three matches ended in a tie, and one had no result.
Prediction:
Predicting the outcome of a match between two elite teams is never easy. However, given how Australia successfully chased a massive total in their last match, they are the favorites to win the upcoming encounter in Rawalpindi.
Where to watch:
India: Jio Hotstar,
Pakistan: Myco, Tapmad, and Tamasha app
UAE and MENA: STARZPLAY
USA and Canada: Streaming on Willow by Cricbuzz app (Hindi coverage available)
Caribbean: ESPN Play Caribbean app
Australia: PrimeVideo
New Zealand: SkyGo app.
South Africa and sub-Saharan territories: SuperSport and SuperSport App
Bangladesh: Nagorik TV
Afghanistan: ATN
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV
