RSA vs AUS Match Preview
Both teams have rested some of their key players and this will give the youngsters a chance to shine and showcase their talents.
Some of the top players from Australia who are set to miss this series include Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins. Mitchell Marsh takes over the reins of the team and will shepherd a relatively young team. Spencer Johnson, Matthew Short, and Aaron Hardie have earned their maiden international calls on the back of impressive performances in the BBL.
A last-minute injury to Glenn Maxwell means that he too is out of the squad and will be replaced by Matthew Wade, who last played a T20I almost a year back. Injury to Maxwell could open the doors for Ashton Turner, who had a decent outing in the recent Hundred League.
Australia does have some experienced campaigners in the batting including Travis Head, Josh Inglis, and Tim David, who will have to support Marsh. Jason Behrendorff makes a comeback in the squad to bolster the bowling. He will have an added responsibility to bowl well in the absence of seniors, and so will Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis.
Just like the visitors, South Africa has rested some of the senior players, including Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje to keep them fresh for the upcoming ODI World Cup. Aiden Markram will lead the team in the shortest format and is likely to open the batting along with Reeza Hendricks.
The latter is in excellent form and played well in the recent series against West Indies. Temba Bavuma gets one more chance despite his poor form. Matthew Breetzke, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen also will add strength to the batting.
However, the most exciting inclusion for SA is that of Dewald Brevis. He was in scintillating form with the bat during the U19 World Cup and now has the chance to showcase his talent on the international stage.
Coming to the bowling, Lungi Ngidi will lead the seam attack and will be supported by Lizaad Williams, Sisanda Magala, and Gerald Coetzee, while Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj, and Bjorn Fortuin are the 3 bowlers on the team.
Weather Report
The weather in Durban is expected to remain clear with no forecast for rain. Since this is a night match, we can expect a pleasant temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Kingsmead in Durban isn’t the easiest to bat on. There is plenty of help for the seamers, who can generate plenty of swing thanks to the tidal winds, thanks to the ground’s proximity to the ocean. As the surface gets progressively difficult to bat on, chasing on this ground is quite difficult and batting first will be a good option.
Anything over 150 will be tricky to chase here.
Notable stats
Dewald Brevis: The Next Big Thing?
Dewald Brevis scored 506 runs in the 2022 edition of the ICC U19 World Cup. He scored them at an average of 84.33 and a strike rate of 90.19. His knocks included 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries. His IPL contract got him a lot of attention but he has since struggled at the top tier a bit.
Team News
There are no updates regarding injuries from either side.
RSA vs AUS Probable 11
RSA Playing 11
- Reeza Hendricks
- Aiden Markram (C)
- Temba Bavuma
- Dewald Brevis
- Rassie van der Dussen
- Tristan Stubbs (Wk)
- Marco Jansen
- Lungi Ngidi
- Keshav Maharaj
- Tabraiz Shamsi
- Sisanda Magala
AUS Playing 11
- Mitchell Marsh (C)
- Travis Head
- Matthew Short
- Josh Inglis (Wk)
- Tim David
- Spencer Johnson
- Sean Abbott
- Adam Zampa
- Marcus Stoinis
- Jason Behrendorff
- Matthew Wade
Dream11 Prediction
Both teams are missing some of the key players and are pretty evenly balanced in terms of on-paper form of players. However, we feel that the visitors have an edge in this match. They have a good record against SA in the shortest format.
Australia has included some talented youngsters in the team and we expect them to play well.
Top Picks
Mitchell Marsh: Marsh is a consistent performer in the shortest format of the game. He has scored 1086 runs at an average of 29.35 and has also picked up 15 wickets.
Aiden Markram: Markram has a phenomenal strike rate of 150.23 in T20s. He has scored 966 runs at an average of 40.25.
Tim David: A handy finisher with the bat, David has scored 437 runs between overs 16 to 20 in 2023 at a strike rate of 189.17.
RSA vs AUS Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: M Wade
Batters: A Markram (VC), R Hendricks, T David, D Brevis
All-rounders: M Marsh (C), M Stoinis, M Jansen
Bowlers: L Ngidi, A Zampa, J Behrendorff
