South Africa vs. West Indies 3rd ODI: Date, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

South Africa has a 2-0 series lead after two emphatic wins over the West Indies. The teams now head to East London, where the hosts could wrap up the series.

Date: Wednesday, Jan. 21

Venue: Buffalo Park, East London

Start time: 11:30 a.m. GMT (1:30 p.m. local time)

TV and live stream: SuperSport (South Africa), TEN Cricket (India), PTV Sports (Pakistan), Orbit Show Network (Middle East), Willow TV (USA), Sky Sports (UK)

Weather: AccuWeather.com has a pretty grim forecast for the match. A fair bit of rain is forecast for the next few days and quite a bit of it could fall on Wednesday. It could be a seriously frustrating day ahead for all involved.

Overview

Whatever else happens for the rest of the one-day series between South Africa and the West Indies, nothing will ever come close to AB de Villiers’ record-breaking batting at the Wanderers on Sunday. De Villiers hit a brutal 149 off just 44 balls to help South Africa to an emphatic 148-run victory.

Most important for South Africa is that Rilee Rossouw finally got some runs under his belt. Having struggled for form since he first made his debut, Rossouw managed his first ton in international cricket on Sunday. Although it was not quite as entertaining as De Villiers' effort, it was important to help him gain confidence. Although it remains unlikely that Rossouw will be a key part of South Africa’s World Cup campaign, he will be crucial as a back-up player.

For the West Indies, some introspection is needed. Their over-reliance on Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels has been laid bare in the one-day format. For the young captain Jason Holder, this presents an opportunity. The team is not without talent, even when considering the controversial exclusions of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard. They are, however, without self-belief and the battering they took in their last outing wouldn’t have helped. 

It’s up to Holder, then, to rally his troops and instil some confidence. South Africa certainly won’t be rolled over easily, but they too have weaknesses which can be exposed.

Key players

South Africa

David Miller hit an impressive 70 in the first ODI, before throwing his wicket away. He did not get a chance to bat in the second game, but he does need to prove that he can adapt to a dual role for South Africa. Although he has built a reputation as a finisher, that is not his main task. He still, however, has a lot to prove and with the World Cup just around the corner, now is a good time to show everyone what he is capable of.

West Indies

Dwayne Smith has put in a steady performance in the one-day series and is proving to be a reliable top-order player for the men from the Caribbean. With Chris Gayle’s ODI approach being quite hit and miss, it’s good news for the Windies that they have somebody a bit more stable at the top.

Squads

South Africa

AB de Villiers (capt), Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Morne van Wyk (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn

West Indies

Jason Holder (capt), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Narsingh Deonarine, Leon Johnson, Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor 

All quotes and information obtained firsthand