The 42nd match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 will see South Africa take on Afghanistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.
This fixture will have a big impact on the semi-final race. South Africa have already qualified for the last four with commanding wins in six of their eight matches so far. Afghanistan meanwhile still harbor slim hopes of advancing if they can win their last two games.
After losing their first two matches, Afghanistan have been the surprise package of this World Cup. They’ve beaten Sri Lanka, England and Pakistan in a stellar resurgence. Now they’ll aim to upset the rampant Proteas.
South Africa have lost just two games to India and the Netherlands in what has been an overwhelmingly dominant campaign so far. Their batting and bowling have fired in unison consistently.
With the stakes so high for both teams, fans can expect an enthralling battle. South Africa will want to head into the knockouts on a winning note. Afghanistan will treat this as a virtual quarterfinal as they fight to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
The Proteas appear strong favorites considering their squad depth and balance. But Afghanistan possess the match-winners to challenge any top team as they’ve proven.
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South Africa Overview
It’s been an outstanding World Cup so far for South Africa, who have secured a semi-final berth with a game to spare. Their only loss came in a shock defeat to the Netherlands as every other opponent has been swept aside.
The batting has revolved around skipper Temba Bavuma’s solidity up top and the dazzling strokeplay of Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram. Dewald Brevis has produced useful cameos.
In bowling, the pace trio of Marco JAnsen, Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada has blown away top orders. Spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi have choked run-scoring in the middle overs.
Fielding is another facet where South Africa have excelled, taking some sensational catches. The team seems to have all bases covered with bat, ball and on the field.
With their semi-final spot sealed, South Africa may opt to rest a couple of key players against Afghanistan. But they will still field a formidable XI. If de Kock and Markram fire again, South Africa can post an imposing 300+ total.
South Africa will deservedly start as favorites to beat Afghanistan and cap off an excellent group stage campaign on a high.
Afghanistan Overview
Defying all expectations, Afghanistan have punched above their weight at this World Cup. After heartbreaking losses in their first two games, they bounced back spectacularly to beat Sri Lanka, England and Pakistan against the odds.
Their band of talented yet maverick batsmen have finally found consistency. The likes of Rahmat Shah, Ibrahim Zadran and Hasmatullah Shahidi have scored crucial runs. Wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz provides explosive starts.
But Afghanistan’s bowling attack has been their ace weapon. Leg-spinner Rashid Khan is the No.1 T20 bowler today and has bamboozled opponents with his guile and variations. Fellow spinners Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have provided ideal support.
The pace duo of Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi have bowled with fire, regularly taking early wickets. Overall, Afghanistan’s varied bowling unit will test the very best lineups.
If Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb can weave their magic again, Afghanistan are capable of shocking South Africa’s star-studded batting order. But their own batting must stand firm against the likes of Ngidi and Rabada. Either way, expect a thriller.
South Africa vs. Afghanistan Starting XI
Expected Starting XI for South Africa:
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Temba Bavuma (C)
- Rassie van der Dusen
- Aiden Markram
- Heinrich Klaasen
- David Miller
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Lungi Ngidi
- Tabraiz Shamsi
Expected Starting XI for Afghanistan:
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Rahmat Shah
- Hasmatullah Shahidi (C)
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mohammad Nabi
- Rashid Khan
- Ikram Alikhil (wk)
- Mujeed ur Rahman
- Noor Ahmed
- Naveen-ul-Haq
With their semi-final spot confirmed, South Africa may opt to rest Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma and Rabada. This could open the door for Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen and Lungi Ngidi to get a game. Afghanistan are likely to field the same XI that came agonizingly close to upsetting Australia. Their seasoned core of Gurbaz, Zadran, Shahidi, Nabi and Rashid will aim for another stirring performance.
The key battles will be between Rashid Khan and South Africa’s in-form top order trio of De Kock, Van der Dussen and Markram. Leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi will also have a pivotal role for the Proteas. Both teams match up intriguingly on paper. But South Africa’s superior bench strength gives them the edge.
See the confirmed starting lineups below an hour before the match starts.
South Africa vs. Afghanistan Head-to-Head
South Africa and Afghanistan have met only once previously in ODI cricket which South Africa won by 9 wickets way back in the 2019 World Cup. That solitary ODI meeting the Proteas bowled out Afghanistan for just 125 runs through their way to a big margin win.
In T20Is though, South Africa dominate Afghanistan 2-0 in head-to-head record. At the recent 2020 T20 World Cup, South Africa edged Afghanistan by just four wickets in a thriller. Afghanistan are yet to defeat South Africa in any format of international cricket. But they came agonizingly close at the last T20 World Cup showing they can compete with the Proteas.
South Africa deserve to start as firm favorites in this World Cup clash based on historical dominance over Afghanistan and their sizzling tournament form. But Afghanistan should not be underestimated having already upset strong teams like Pakistan and England earlier in this World Cup. Their talented squad has nothing to lose which makes them dangerous.
Overall though, South Africa’s experience and firepower across departments hands them the advantage over Afghanistan.
Weather & Pitch Report
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will provide the setting for South Africa’s crunch clash against Afghanistan. Excellent weather is expected on matchday with sunny blue skies forecast and temperatures around 31 degrees.
Humidity levels will be comfortable around 55% and no rain is predicted throughout the day. Overall, ideal conditions are on the cards for an intriguing day-night contest.
The Ahmedabad pitch has generally been on the slower side which has assisted spinners. Batting becomes trickier as the ball tends to stop on the batters occasionally.
In the four games at the venue in this World Cup so far, the average first innings score is 257. No team has managed to cross 300 here yet.
Matches have been won batting first and second here. The side winning the toss could look to bat first and post an above par score of around 270-280 and defend it strongly.
Pacers may extract some swing early on with the new ball. Spinners like Rashid Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi and Mohammad Nabi could play a key role in the middle overs on this surface.
With a good batting track and excellent weather, fans can expect a competitive match between bat and ball. The team playing better in the field might well triumph.
South Africa vs. Afghanistan Prediction
South Africa will deservedly start as strong favorites in this contest against Afghanistan based on their commanding World Cup performances so far.
The Proteas bat deep with the likes of Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller in scintillating form. Scoring 290-300 consistently has allowed their bowling attack to defend these totals successfully.
Afghanistan’s batting has shown promise but remains prone to collapse against top-class bowling units. Their bowling attack led by Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi will need to be at their very best to halt the South African juggernaut.
But the Proteas also have plenty of batting firepower in reserve even if they opt to rest a few key men having already qualified. Their balance and mentality make them hard to overcome.
Afghanistan though have the unpredictable and fearless game style to challenge strong opponents. If Rashid strikes form, an upset could well be brewing.
Considering the gulf in experience between the two teams, South Africa should continue their dominant World Cup run against Afghanistan. But don’t rule out a valiant Afghan fight especially with their spinners in operation.
SA vs. AF Betting Tip
With South Africa in superb form, consider betting on them successfully chasing any target under 300 if they bat second. Quinton de Kock if he plays is a top pick for top batsman. Aiden Markram is another good choice.
Rashid Khan is always a smart choice for top bowler given his wicket-taking abilities. Tabraiz Shamsi is also a prime contender. Betting on de Kock or Markram to score 50+ runs has good odds if South Africa bat first.
Given Afghanistan’s batting concerns, a safer bet could be South Africa top bowler vs Afghanistan top batsman. With the strong record of teams batting first here, consider betting on South Africa’s first innings total over 285 or 300 runs.
If you expect an upset, Afghanistan are well worth betting on at tempting odds to gain big returns. For a bold punt, bet on Afghan ace Rashid Khan to be man of the match if he runs through South Africa’s batting order. Given the slower pitch, betting on lower than 320 total match runs is recommended.
South Africa appear relatively safe bets in top bowler/batsman markets and to win the match. But Afghanistan’s upset chances make them appealing differential picks especially in player markets.
Bet on Rashid Khan as Afghanistan’s best bowler in Innings 1 at Mostbet at odds 3.60>>
If you want to check out our other Cricket World Cup match predictions, you can find them on our site. In the meantime, you can check out how to bet on the Cricket World Cup.
