Match Details
The match is scheduled for Tuesday, 17th October at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Dharamsala.
Match Overview
South Africa, led by Temba Bavuma, is on a winning spree in the tournament, having defeated Sri Lanka and Australia. They will be aiming to continue this unbeaten run against the Netherlands.
The South African team has been in top form, with their batsmen scoring heavily and their bowlers taking wickets regularly.
Despite their current form, they are aware of the importance of each point in such long tournaments. They will be looking to avoid a repeat of their close loss to the Netherlands in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, which cost them a semi-final spot.
On the other hand, the Netherlands, despite losing their first two matches in India, are a formidable side and will be looking to prove their mettle in Dharamsala. They will be hoping to emulate Afghanistan’s surprise victory over England in the Cricket World Cup.
Both teams will be playing for the first time in Dharamsala and will be studying past matches for insights. Spinners had a significant role in the Afghanistan-Bangladesh match, while England capitalized on a good batting pitch in the second match.
Team Line-ups
Netherlands:
Scott Edwards (c), Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht.
South Africa:
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.
Players to Watch
Netherlands – Scott Edwards
Scott Edwards has been a key player for the Netherlands. His leadership and batting skills in the middle order will be crucial for the team’s performance. He has a history of performing well in high-pressure situations, with three of his four half-centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 coming against Test-playing nations. Despite a slow start to the tournament, Edwards will be looking to bounce back against South Africa, drawing inspiration from his 42-run innings against them earlier this year.
South Africa – Kagiso Rabada
Fast bowlers have been successful in the Cricket World Cup in India, and Kagiso Rabada has been the standout performer for South Africa. The absence of Anrich Nortje from the tournament seems to have motivated Rabada to step up his game. He has taken five wickets at an average of 16.6, including key wickets at crucial moments. South Africa will be relying on Rabada for breakthroughs in the match.