Australia and South Africa will face off in a crucial ODI World Cup match on Thursday, October 12, at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Both teams are coming off of contrasting results in their opening matches, with Australia suffering a heavy loss to India and South Africa registering a massive victory over Sri Lanka.

The surface at the Ekana Cricket Stadium is heavily preferred by the bowlers, particularly the spinners. The batters will need to be patient in the early stages of the game and build their innings steadily. Hence, opting to bowl first could be a viable decision for the captain winning the toss.

Australia will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing loss to India. They will need their star batters, such as David Warner, Steven Smith, and Marnus Labuschagne, to fire if they are to challenge South Africa. Their bowling attack, led by Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, will also need to be at their best to contain the Proteas’ explosive batting lineup.

South Africa will be aiming to continue their winning momentum and consolidate their position at the top of the ODI World Cup points table. They will be relying on their top-order batters, such as Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, and Heinrich Klaasen, to deliver once again. Their bowling attack, led by Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi, will also need to be up to the task of bowling out the Australian batting lineup.

The match between Australia and South Africa is expected to be a close and exciting contest. Both teams have world-class players in their ranks, and a victory for either side could set the tone for their campaign in the ODI World Cup.

Probable Best Performers:

• Probable Best Batter: Aiden Markram (South Africa)
• Probable Best Bowler: Josh Hazlewood (Australia)