🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 31: South Africa vs Nepal, S.V@5:00 AM IST🏏

🏏ICC T20I WC 2024: Match 31: South Africa vs Nepal, Kingstown @5:00 AM IST🏏

South Africa is set to face Nepal for the first time on the international stage in the T20 World Cup 2024. The match will take place in Kingstown.

South Africa comes into this game with a perfect record, having won all three of their matches. Nepal, on the other hand, has yet to win a match and has played only one full game due to weather interruptions.

It wasn't surprising that South Africa's men's T20 World Cup squad were supplied with potentially valuable information before they had even checked in to their accommodation in Kingstown. 

"When we arrived at 3 am our bus driver told me that when the sea is rough there's bounce and pace, and when the sea is calm it spins," Rob Walter told a press conference on Wednesday. 

"Most importantly, I want us to be able to respond to the conditions in front of us and be able to figure out a method to win."

So far, so good. South Africa overcame the challenges presented by Nassau County's erratic pitch and sluggish outfield well enough to reel off wins against Sri Lanka, the Netherlands and Bangladesh. 

Another success over Nepal at Arnos Vale on Saturday and they will sail into the Super Eights - which they have already reached - with an unblemished record.

Sandeep Lamichhane stands in their way of doing so. Nepal's best player has yet to make it onto the field in the tournament because he was denied a United States visa and the team's first two matches were in Dallas and Lauderhill. 

Whether Lamichhane's conviction and subsequent acquittal for rape in Nepal was the reason for such a decision has not been disclosed by the US government. 

But there is little doubt that his return - he has not played an international since November - will be key to Nepal's chances.

Even so, anything except a resounding South Africa win will raise the alarm that, despite their performance so far, they are not as prepared for the business end of the tournament as they would like.

South Africa has shown excellent form in this tournament. They have already advanced to the Super 8, thanks to their consistent performances. 

Nepal has faced difficulties in this World Cup. They lost their opening game against the Netherlands and had another match washed out. They have strong fan support, as seen with a large crowd cheering them in Dallas.

The match in Kingstown is expected to be played on a relatively unknown surface, similar to Eisenhower Park. The pitch showed potential for high scores during the Bangladesh-Netherlands game. With short 58-metre boundaries, big hitters from both teams will likely enjoy the conditions.

The weather forecast suggests it will be humid, sunny, and slightly windy, which will be a challenging yet exciting game.

South Africa will be looking to maintain their winning streak for a fourth consecutive victory. Nepal will look to make a strong comeback with the help of their star spinner Lamichhane.

 Predicted lineups

Predicted XI for South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Anrich Nortje

Predicted XI for Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Anil Sah, Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami, Gulshan Jha, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Abinash Bohara

Head-to-head in T20Is

Both the teams have not faced each other in a T20I yet. This will be their first meeting.

Prediction

South Africa is favored to win this match against Nepal. They have shown excellent form and consistency in the tournament, winning all three of their matches. Nepal, still seeking their first victory, faces a tough challenge. South Africa is expected to maintain their winning streak with a likely comfortable win.

Nepal lost their opening game to Netherlands while a washout against Sri Lanka handed them a point. Aiden Markram’s side, on the other hand, walk in after edging out Bangladesh by four runs in New York.

Anrich Nortje, who is the joint second-leading wicket-taker with eight scalps, has been in splendid form, and he will look to make life tough for Nepal's batters.

The Proteas would also hope that their top order, including Quinton De Kock, Reeza Hendricks, skipper Aiden Markram, and Tristan Stubbs, regain their form before the Super Eight.

Nepal's ace spinner Sandeep Lamichhane will be available for the selection after missing the first two matches due to a US Visa denial.

Sandeep Lamichhane's first match of the tournament can only boost the team.  Nepal's best-known player, has not played an international match since November last year after being convicted of and then acquitted for rape. The latter came ten days before participating teams had to name their final squads for the tournament and his name was not on Nepal's initial list. Cleverly, they only included 14 players. But Lamichhane was subsequently denied a visa to enter the USA and had to miss Nepal's first two games, but has reached St Vincent. 

Tactics & Matchups: Lamichhane and Dipendra Singh Airee could be Nepal's best options to bowl away from the South Africans' strengths.

South Africa

Having booked their place in the Super Eights should help Aiden Markram's team relax and play less constrained cricket.

Tactics & Matchups: South Africa's classy quicks could blow the Nepalese away.

Pitch and conditions

Much like Eisenhower Park, this surface is also fairly unknown because of the scarcity of cricket here. On the evidence of the Bangladesh-Netherlands game, the surface is conducive for run-scoring and could offer a change from what South Africa experienced in New York. There are 58-metre boundaries on one side of the ground which means the big hitters will feel right at home.

It's expected to be humid, sunny and slightly windy during the game.

What to expect: Only two men's T20Is were played at this ground before the tournament, and the pitches were relaid before Thursday's game between Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Thus the likely conditions remain mostly a mystery. But we know the floodlights are new, and therefore good. There's little chance of enough rain to get in the way of the cricket. 

Will spin play a role in Kingstown?

A tournament of firsts has an addition: this is the first time South Africa and Nepal will meet on the international circuit. And they do so from opposite ends of the group's points table.

Stats and trivia:

• Not only is Lamichhane Nepal's leading wicket-taker in T20Is, he is also two wickets away from 100 in the format. He also has the seventh-lowest bowling average in T20Is overall (and the second-lowest among bowlers playing the World Cup
• Heinrich Klaasen is two sixes away from become the leading six-hitter in T20s this year. So far, he has stuck 80 in 33 matches, two fewer than Nicholas Pooran, who has played two more matches
• There have only been two T20Is hosted in St Vincent before, both in 2013 in a series between West Indies and Pakistan played in July. Pakistan won the first match chasing 153 and the second after they defended 135

Did you know?

- One of the straight boundaries at Arnos Vale is more than 10 metres shorter than the other.

- Only three bowlers took more wickets than Sandeep Lamichhane in ODIs last year.

- Anrich Nortje needs three wickets to surpass Dale Steyn as South Africa's leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cups.

What they said:

"We know we are walking into the unknown; we have never played South Africa before. But we have been training very hard and we know a lot of work has been put in. We cannot think about things that are not in our control." - Monty Desai after Nepal's washed out match against Sri Lanka in Lauderhill, which left their hopes of reaching the Super Eights hanging by a thread.

"I don't think belief is something this team struggles with. They back themselves and we back them as a coaching staff. They're a tight unit, they're good human beings, they get on well together. That's a great advert from a team point of view." - it's all good in South Africaland, Rob Walter says.