South Africa vs. Zimbabwe Live Score: Zimbabwe will need to rectify their bowling woes against a skilful South Africa as they look to end their spirited T20 World Cup campaign on a high in their final Super 8 match here on Sunday.
Reaching the Super 8 as group toppers has been part of Zimbabwe’s success story and inspired by their leader Sikandar Raza, they will be determined to push South Africa to the limit.
Bowling Discipline Key Against Proteas
South Africa are the team to beat in the ICC and if Zimbabwe are to challenge them, they need to improve their bowling performance after conceding more than 250 runs in the previous two Super 8 matches against West Indies and India.
Raza knows his side can only compete with the bigger teams if all three departments click.
“In the World Cup against the best teams, you need all three of your departments working hand-in-hand. And unfortunately, when one is missing, you lose the game.
“So hopefully in the last game, leave everything on the park and try to sort out all three of our departments and hopefully that will give us the best chance to win the game,” Raza said after India’s defeat.
Bugs to fix
Zimbabwe were guilty of too many loose balls in the Super 8 stage. They need to master the discipline they showed against Australia and Sri Lanka in the group stage.
Their invincibility in the group stage came on slow pitches in Sri Lanka, but in batting-friendly conditions in India, the margin for error drastically decreases as they experienced in Mumbai and Chennai.
Batting Strategy: Maximizing the power play
On the bat, the opening duo of Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani must make the most of the power play.
Bennett, who is out of the tournament so far, showed against India that he can also clear the ropes. He will have to find a way to deal with the wily South African attack.
Strengths of South Africa
Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi, with 11 wickets each, were the outstanding bowlers for the Proteas, well complemented by spearhead Kagiso Rabada, Corbin Bosch and front-line spinner Keshav Maharaj.
The front three – captain Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton – are in top form and it would take a special bowling effort from Raza and his team to stop them.
The middle order, including David Miller, Tristan Stubbs and Dewald Brevis, also made an impact at the Super 8 stage.
Place and context
South Africa, who have only played in Ahmedabad and Delhi so far in the tournament, return to the national capital for their final Super 8 match.
In the five games played here, 200 has been passed only once, with India scoring 209 against Namibia.
It’s effectively a dead rubber, with South Africa already through to the semi-finals and Zimbabwe out of the race after back-to-back losses.
Teams
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinodema Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Curran Richard Ngarava, Ben
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs.
