World Cup 2023, ENG vs SA | Playing 11 Prediction, Cricket Tips, Preview & Live Streaming

Temba Bavuma with Jos Buttler (x.com)

England face-off against South Africa in one of the most anticipated fixtures of the ICC World Cup 2023 league-stage in Mumbai on Saturday (October 21). The defending champions strive to recover from an incredible upset handed out to them by Afghanistan in Delhi, which was their second defeat of the tournament in three matches. 

The Proteas missed out on a great opportunity to stretch their winning run to three games at the start of the tournament. They were brought down to earth by the spirited Netherlands side that pulled off a remarkable win in Dharamshala. The Temba Bavuma-led side had clinched wins against Sri Lanka and Australia earlier in the competition. 

ENG vs SA: Team Previews 

England 

Buttler got bowled off Naveen ul Haq vs AGH (AP Photo)

For all their depth and explosiveness as a batting unit, England continue to evoke vibes of a flat-deck side, which falters the moment there is any lateral movement or turn available off the surface for opposition bowlers. 

While New Zealand derailed their progression on a dryish Ahmedabad pitch in the first game, they were skittled out for 215 on a turning pitch in Delhi by the Afghans. 

A true-paced deck in Mumbai then will present England with a bright opportunity to get back into the World Cup with their strength. They need an above-par score on the board for their bowling unit to punch above its weight, as they did in the win over Bangladesh in Dharamsala. 

It would boost them no end that the fixture at the Wankhede is set to be a comeback game for England's famed match-winner Ben Stokes after missing the first three matches with a sore hip. 

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South Africa 

South Africa got a thrashing from NED in their last encounter (x.com)

South Africa couldn't shed the chokers' tag with their unexpected loss to the Dutch in Dharamshala but would like to believe it was only a hiccup that wouldn't dent the rest of their campaign. The Proteas failed tactically to the Netherlands, who managed to hit the stumps decisively more times with their line on a two-paced surface. 

That is not the kind of detail they could afford to miss again versus the Englishmen, especially with the track at the iconic Wankhede Stadium offering one of the flattest surfaces in the country and being a paradise for battership under lights. 

South Africa will require a better death-overs showing with the ball in this match after conceding a whopping 104 runs in their last 9 overs against the Netherlands. Their bowling will be put under the pump by the devastating English batters on a flat deck, which would be a key aspect of this game. 

ENG vs SA: Match Details & Live Streaming

ENG vs SA: Mumbai Pitch Report

Easily one of the best batting surfaces in India, the pitch at the iconic Wankhede Stadium tends to produce truest possible bounce and insignificant lateral movement. Occasionally, the track has played dry for spinners, but the dew under lights and the ground's small boundary dimensions tend to neutralise that threat as well. Expect a big-scoring game for either side. 

ENG vs SA: Probable Playing XIs

England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee

ENG vs SA: Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

ENG vs SA: Winner Prediction

England might relish the flat nature of the conditions in Wankhede a lot more than the Proteas, who require their bowling to come to the fore to attain a stronger footing in this contest. The defending champions could comeback to winning ways at the end of the coming league match. 

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