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England vs South Africa ODI World Cup Tips - An early must-win game for champions

By Siddhu Bharadwaj

20 Oct 2023

Siddhu Bharadwaj 20 Oct 2023

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England vs South Africa ODI World Cup match predictions to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon, Indian time
England have won 2 of their last 3 ODIs at this venue
South Africa have lost their last 2 World Cup ODIs to England

Can England revive their tournament with a win over South Africa? (Getty Images)

England vs South Africa ODI World Cup

On the back of surprise losses to lower-ranked teams, England and South Africa clash in the World Cup with a lot riding on the result. This match #20 will be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.

England vs South Africa ODI World Cup
Head to Head
England Form
England Team News
South Africa Form
South Africa Team News

South Africa are coming off a surprise loss to the Netherlands, which would have hurt them. England are also coming on the back of a loss, to Afghanistan, which has hurt their chances more than the defeat to New Zealand in the tournament opener. I am backing the defending champions to bounce back and get into the tournament mix with a win here.

England have won 2 of their 3 matches at this venue (ODIs)
England have won their last 2 World Cup matches against South Africa, including one in India (ODIs)
South Africa have lost 3 of their 4 matches at this venue (ODIs)
Kagiso Rabada has taken 2+ wickets in 7 of his last 8 matches against England (ODIs)

Head to Head

England have played South Africa in 67 ODIs to date, winning 30 and losing 33. Five ended without a result while one was a tie.

The last time these sides met in ODIs was in a three-match series in South Africa which the Proteas won 2-1. The record is tight in the World Cups with England having a slight 4-3 edge in seven previous games. That includes a six-run win in Chennai in the 2011 edition.

England Form

England are 5th in the points tally with two points from three matches. They started with a nine-wicket loss to New Zealand and bounced back with a 137-run win over Bangladesh.

The 69-run loss to Afghanistan was a punch in the guts as England are now pulled down the table, even on NRR. Dawid Malan has a hundred to his name and Joe Root has two fifties from three matches but their batters are struggling to assert themselves.

With the ball too, there isn’t much happening with lead spinner Adil Rashid (four wickets, ER 4.85) only just getting into form with three wickets against Afghanistan.

England Team News

England are likely to welcome back Ben Stokes, although he could be playing as a pure batter. Chris Woakes could be the unlucky one to lose out.

South Africa Form

South Africa are 3rd in the standings after Thursday matches with four points from three matches. They had a flying start to the tournament with a 102-run win over Sri Lanka and an even better 134-run victory over Australia.

Things went wrong in the game against the Netherlands as they lost to the minnows by 38 runs in a rain-shortened 43-over match. It was a result that showed their inadequacies and fears.

It’s still not the end of the road though, as the tournament is longer enough for South Africa to regain form. They will once again be looking at Quinton de Kock (229 runs) and Kagiso Rabada (seven wickets) to lead the show.

South Africa Team News

South Africa are unlikely to press the panic button yet and resist the temptation to make wholesale changes. The only change could be Tabraiz Shamsi slotting in for Gerald Coetzee.

England vs South Africa ODI World Cup FAQs

Where can I watch the England vs South Africa ODI World Cup live stream?

Our live streaming calendar shows you where to watch the England vs South Africa ODI World Cup live stream.

What time does England vs South Africa ODI World Cup start?

This England vs South Africa ODI World Cup will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on October 21, Saturday starting at 2:00 pm IST.

Verdict

It is not yet a must-win match but both England and South Africa know things could go haywire with a loss. Especially for England, who have already lost two games. The return of Ben Stokes makes me go for an England win in this match. On the individual front, go for Kagiso Rabada as the top South Africa bowler.