AUSTRALIA VS. SOUTH AFRICA: T20 WORLD CUP 2021, MATCH 13 | PREDICTION, PLAYING 11 AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
In the opening fixture of the Super 12 Round, Australia take on South Africa in Match 13 of the 2021 T20 World Cup at Abu Dhabi on Saturday afternoon.
Australia have not performed well in the previous T20 World Cups and are yet to win this title. They come into this tournament after losing their last 4 T20I series, winning just 5 games out of 18 played. The team failed to qualify for the knockouts in the last two editions and will be hoping to shrug off their bad form and give a better show this time around.
South Africa, on the other hand, have won their last 3 T20I series, and are on a 7-match win streak. They have also won both their warm-up matches. The team has progressed to the knockout stages only twice in the previous 6 editions. They will look to continue the winning momentum in the first match of a very difficult group.
Match Details
- Game: Australia vs. South Africa, Match 13
- Venue: Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Date & Time: Oct. 23, 2021, at 3:30 PM IST/2 PM Local
Probable Playing XI
Australia
Aaron Finch (C), David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (WK), Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
South Africa
Quinton de Kock (WK), Temba Bavuma (C), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
Weather Report
The weather in Abu Dhabi is predicted to be hot and humid, with the temperature expected to be around 34 degrees during the match.
Pitch Report
As seen during the Indian T20 League, the Abu Dhabi wicket hasn't been as fast as it was in 2020. It has been well-balanced this time around. However, batters need to be watchful as the pitch has some assistance for pacers early on. Spinners have also enjoyed bowling in these conditions. The average first-innings score during the Indian T20 League was 159 runs, while the last 4 T20Is played here have had an average score of 134 runs.
Toss
The teams batting second have enjoyed more success, winning 3 of the 4 matches played during Round 1. However, it’s been a more equal record during the day games. A total of around 160 should be a competitive one on this surface.
Top Fantasy Picks
Wicketkeeper
- Quinton de Kock is the preferred wicketkeeper for this match. He is currently ranked 8th in the T20I batting rankings. Although he hasn’t performed to his standards in the recent games, his T20I form has been excellent with 5 fifties in the last 10 matches.
Batters
- Steve Smith may not be a regular starter for his franchise team, but remains a vital component in Australia's batting unit. He will bat at No. 4 and will be crucial in the middle overs on the slow tracks. He is in good form with the bat, having made 57 and 35 runs in the two warm-up matches.
- Rassie van der Dussen has been excellent for South Africa in this format. He starts his innings slow but can be destructive in the death overs. In 2021, he made 214 runs in nine T20I innings at a strike rate of 130.48. He almost single-handedly won the last warm-up game against Pakistan with an unbeaten 101 runs from 51 balls.
All-rounder
- Glenn Maxwell has been in brilliant form in the recent T20 games, almost making runs for fun. He scored 290 runs in eight matches in the second leg of the Indian T20 League 2021, including 4 fifties. Moreover, he played an attacking 37-run innings in the last warm-up game against India.
Bowlers
- Josh Hazlewood is a very underrated bowler in the T20 format. Length accuracy and natural swing with the new ball are his biggest weapons. He took 11 wickets in the second leg of the recent edition of the Indian T20 League for Chennai, with best figures of 3/24.
- Tabraiz Shamsi has been a big factor in South Africa’s dominance on the slow tracks of the West Indies and Sri Lanka in the recent T20I series. He has taken 18 wickets in his last 10 matches at a brilliant economy rate of 4.7. He is a genuine wicket-taking threat in the middle overs.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeeper: Q de Kock
- Batters: S Smith, R van der Dussen, T Bavuma
- All-rounders: M Marsh, G Maxwell, A Agar, A Markram
- Bowlers: J Hazlewood, A Nortje, T Shamsi
- Captain: M Marsh/G Maxwell
- Vice Captain: R van der Dussen/T Shamsi
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can select your own fantasy 11, and play all the fantasy cricket matches from the T20 World Cup. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
Get fantasy cricket tips on your favorite fantasy sports app and select your own team, Howzat!
