After their only loss in six games to England in their opening Super Eight game, the West Indies regrouped to smash co-hosts USA by nine wickets. For the West Indies, a win will see them through to the last four.
South Africa, who have won all six of their games so far, are not yet guaranteed a spot in the semifinals. They too need a win to seal their position; otherwise, their campaign too will come to an end.
Both teams know the exact scenario before they head into the match.
West Indies had failed to rotate strike against England but quickly addressed the issue, producing a dominant show against the USA, led by Shai Hope’s belligerent 39-ball 82.
While Hope will be expected to produce fireworks in the powerplay, the Windies also possess some big power-hitters such as Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell, who can provide the charge in the death overs. They also have Kyle Mayers waiting in the wings, and it remains to be seen if the West Indies are tempted to open with him, given his impressive stint in SA20 and his mountain of runs in the pre-World Cup series against South Africa last month.
South Africa, on the other hand, haven’t looked dominant so far despite an all-win record. It has always been tight wins, even against minnows like the USA and Nepal. The positive thing is that Aiden Markram’s team has always found a way to come out trumps.
For South Africa, Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks have done the heavy lifting, while Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj have been their standout bowlers. De Kock’s big-hitting in the powerplay made the difference in their last match against England, and the West Indies have to find a way to stop him.
The West Indies have some quality spinners in Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, and Chase, and a lot will depend on them to contain the middle order, led by David Miller. The West Indies will also take inspiration from their 3-0 sweep of South Africa ahead of the tournament, although it came against a second-string side. South Africa, on the other hand, have an overwhelming 3-1 record against the West Indies in T20 World Cups.
Squad:
West Indies Squad: Rovman Powell (c), Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Obed McCoy, Shamar Joseph, Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi and Tristan Stubbs.