South Africa and Australia will square off in semifinal 2 of the Men’s World Cup ODI 2023 in Kolkata on Thursday, 16th November. The Proteas have had a good campaign in the tournament thus far, with six wins from nine matches and qualified for the semifinal after finishing second in the points table. Australia had a remarkable comeback following successive losses in the initial two games of their campaign, remaining unbeaten in seven matches thus far. The five-time champions qualified for the semifinal after finishing third in the points table.
South Africa and Australia will take on each other for the second time in the ongoing Men’s World Cup ODI edition. The two teams locked horns in the league stage, where the Proteas defeated Australia by 134 runs. The upcoming semifinal of the Men’s World Cup 2023 is expected to be exciting as both sides are expected to put up a good fight against each other to book their spot in the Final.
Players To Watch Out For
1. Q de Kock (SA): Q de Kock is brilliant in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. The former South Africa captain is playing his final edition of the tournament. In the last match against Afghanistan, de Kock scored 41 off 47 balls to help South Africa chase the target of 245. Q de Kock is the second-leading run-getter of the tournament, aggregating 591 runs, including four centuries, at an average of 65.66 and a strike rate of 109.24 in nine matches. He is the only batsman in the tournament who could manage to convert his 50s into 100s more than twice. Q de Kock is an attacking batsman who can provide a good start and anchor the innings at the top. de Kock will carry on his good form in the semifinal against Australia.
2. M Marsh (AUS): M Marsh is one of the crucial pillars of Australia’s batting unit in the ongoing Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against Bangladesh, the 32-year-old played a scintillating unbeaten knock of 177 off 132 balls at a strike rate of 134.09 while chasing the target of 304. With this, he recorded the second-highest individual score in a run-chase. In this tournament, Marsh has amassed 426 runs, including two centuries and fifty, at an average of 60.85 in 8 matches. M Marsh has been consistently performing well in the tournament, which is a big positive for Australia. Marsh can play good knocks and unleash his firepower in the middle overs to turn the game on its head. Marsh is definitely one of the important players for Australia in the semifinal against South Africa.
3. M Jansen (SA): M Jansen emerged as one of the key players for South Africa in this Men’s World Cup ODI. The 23-year-old was rested in the Proteas’ final league stage match against Afghanistan and was replaced with A Phehlukwayo. In this tournament, Jansen scalped 17 wickets at an average of 24.41 and an economy rate of 6.41 in eight matches. With the bat, he has scored 157 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 39.25 and a strike rate of 111.34 in eight matches. Jansen has been a reliable all-rounder for the Proteas, contributing significantly with the bat and ball. Jansen can take wickets in the middle overs and unleash his firepower in the middle order of the batting line-up. Jansen will look to make an impact in the semifinal against Australia.
4. A Zampa (AUS): A Zampa is the best bowler in the ongoing edition of the Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against Bangladesh, the 31-year-old delivered economical bowling by conceding just 32 runs while taking two wickets at an economy rate of 3.2 in his quota of 10 overs. Zampa is currently the highest wicket-taker of the tournament, scalping 22 wickets, including three four-wicket hauls, at an average of 18.90 and an economy rate of 5.26 in nine matches. Following his dismal bowling performance against South Africa, A Zampa turned his game around by taking three consecutive four-wicket hauls against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. Zampa has the ability to bowl in different variations, which will often leave the batsmen misjudging the ball. A Zampa will look to pose a threat to South Africa’s batting line-up in the semifinal.
5. G Coetzee (SA): G Coetzee is another sensational talent who burst into the limelight with his fiery performances with the ball in the ongoing Men’s World Cup ODI. In the last match against Afghanistan, the 23-year-old scalped four wickets while conceding just 44 runs at an economy rate of 4.4 in his quota of 10 overs. Coetzee is currently the third-leading wicket-taker of the tournament, scalping 18 wickets, including a four-wicket haul, at an average of 19.38 and an economy rate of 6.40 in seven matches. The right-arm pacer has formed a strong pace bowling attack with K Rabada in this World Cup. G Coetzee has a good pace and can trouble the batsmen by delivering the ball at a good line and length. He is one of the reliable bowlers for South Africa in the death overs. G Coetzee is expected to give a tough challenge to Australia’s batting line-up in the semifinal.
Predicted Playing XI
SA: Q de Kock (WK), T Bavuma, R van der Dussen, A Markram, H Klaseen, D Miller, M Jansen, G Coetzee, K Maharaj, K Rabada, L Nigidi.
AUS: D Warner, T Head, M Marsh, S Smith, M Labuschagne, J Inglis, M Maxwell, M Stoinis, M Starc, P Cummins, A Zampa, J Hazlewood,
Fantasy Playing XI Picks
Wicketkeeper: Q de Kock (VC)
Batsmen: D Warner (C), R van der Dussen, M Marsh, A Markram,
All-rounders: M Jansen, G Maxwell
Bowlers: G Coetzee, M Starc, A Zampa, K Rabada,
Prediction
In this semifinal, South Africa and Australia will certainly put on a good fight to book their berth in the Final. Both sides have had a brilliant run in the tournament thus far, with each winning seven matches. Picking the winner of the second semifinal is difficult, given how South Africa and Australia performed. However, the Proteas are likely to grab the headlines as they’ve been really good in the tournament. They’ve quite a balanced side, with strong performances and team cohesion. But, Australia can make South Africa run for their money if they make things work in their favour.
