South Africa vs. West Indies: Date, Live Stream, TV Info for Cricket World Cup
South Africa will be desperate to bounce back from their emphatic defeat against India when they go up against a resurgent West Indies side at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Proteas were dull in their bowling and meek in their batting as they lost to the reigning champions last time out. AB De Villiers’ team should still boast enough quality to progress to the quarter-finals of this competition, but another loss here and you can bet there will be a few not quite so sure about their progression.
A win is by no means guaranteed against the Caribbean islanders either, especially after their stunning batting display against Zimbabwe. Jason Holder’s side have put their pre-tournament turbulence behind them and will be going in search of a third consecutive win in this competition.
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It’s a vital clash at the top of Pool B and definitely not one to be missed. Here’s all the information you need on where catch this enthralling encounter and a closer examination of both sides on the cusp of this contest.
Date: Friday, Feb. 27
Time: 3:30 a.m. (GMT)
TV Info: Sky Sports 2 (UK)
Windies Seeking Third Consecutive Win
After losing the first game of their World Cup campaign to Ireland in shock fashion, the West Indies looked doomed. Holder had been handed the captaincy just weeks before the tournament before a backdrop of volatile circumstances, but in the last two matches, this team has resembled a settled, balanced group.
The win against Pakistan was emphatic, but the explosive batting showcased by this team against Zimbabwe was phenomenal, with Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels racking up record numbers at the crease, per BBC Test Match Special:
It was a welcome return to form for the former of the duo, who looked back to his wrecking ball-esque best. Gayle bludgeoned 215 in the match against the Africans—the highest-ever individual score in World Cup history—and admitted in the aftermath of his wonderful knock that he’s found runs tough to come by as of late, per BBC Sport:
"There's been a lot of pressure and the runs haven't been coming. This is the first time ever in my career that so many people wanted me to score runs and the messages keep coming in on Twitter. It's the first time I've ever seen so many people wanting Chris Gayle to perform.
I'm glad I gave them something to actually cheer about. I'm really happy and I want to try and build on this. The team can gain some momentum going into South Africa.
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Indeed, while the Windies have shone in their last two outings, the clash against the Proteas will see them tackle a big jump in quality. South Africa are considered one of the favourites for this title and rightly so when you consider they can boast players such as Hashim Amla, De Villiers and Dale Steyn among their squad.
The South Africa skipper will have particularly happy memories of playing the Windies after he smashed the fastest-ever ODI century against them in their recent series:
Nonetheless, against India, these world-class talents faltered. They were outplayed in every department by the reigning champions and as noted by Freddie Wilde of ESPN Cricinfo, it was the team’s biggest-ever World Cup defeat:
You suspect that this resilient South Africa team will be much sharper against the Windies. But it’s also imperative one of their star batsmen goes on to make a big score, especially given the firepower showcased by their opponents so far.
But the very best teams respond from setbacks, and South Africa are a team that have enough class to get the better of this improving West Indies side. Having won the aforementioned series 4-1 in the buildup to this tournament, that should give the Proteas the confidence needed to snatch an important two points.
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