The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the schedule for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023. The much-awaited tournament is scheduled to be played from October 5 to November 19 in India. A total of 10 teams will participate in ICC World Cup 2023 later this year in India.
South Africa will begin their quest for their first-ever World Cup title on October 7 against the Qualifier team in Delhi. The Proteas had won their final two matches of the super league against the Netherlands to claim the 8th spot in the ODI Super League table.
South African cricket is going through a change as new coaches have taken over the team in International Cricket, Temba Bavuma is likely to lead the team in India. The team will comprise the experienced David Miller, Kagiso Rababa, Aiden Markram, and Quinton de Kock in the team.
1. Openers- Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock And Reeza Hendricks
Quinton de Kock was a crucial member of South Africa over the last few years and his performances played a part in the side’s success, especially in white-ball formats. Among the active South African players in white-ball affairs at the moment, de Kock has the most runs in ODIs. He is one of the best in the business when it comes to batting in ODIs. Reeza Hendricks can be a backup opener in the team and he has shown the ability to bat in different positions in the franchise team.
2. Middle Order- Aiden Markram, Rassie Van der Dussen,Tristan Stubbs And David Miller
Aiden Markram is a dependable and versatile batter for the South Africans in recent times and has performed exceedingly well for the South African team in the ODI Cricket, as he played exceptionally well for the Proteas team in the Netherlands series and he can also be handy off-spinner who has been on fire for the team in all three formats. Markram is all set to play an important role for Proteas in the upcoming ODI World Cup.
Rassie van der Dussen has been a solid batter for South Africa’s middle order ever since his debut in international cricket. A career average of almost 70 is enough to say that he has been phenomenally consistent with the bat. The right-handed batter is expected to play a crucial for the team in World later this year, as he can play the spin very well in sub-continental conditions and the youngster Tristan Stubbs can be a backup middle-order batter in the team.
Veteran batter David Miller is one of the brightest prospects in the country’s limited-overs setup, having performed brilliantly so far for the team in the white-ball format of the team and he has experience playing India over the years and his experience will come in handy for the team in the ODI World Cup 2023.
3. Wicket-keeper- Heinrich Klaasen
Heinrich Klaasen has been in fantastic form for South Africa in recent times. The Wicket-keeper batter has been one of the most consistent T20 players over the last few months. In the 3rd ODI against the Netherlands, Klaasen hammered a 54-ball century to help his side chase down a target of 261 in less than 30 overs.
In IPL 2023, Klaasen has been the best batter for the Hyderabad side throughout the season. The South African wicketkeeper has been the best batter for the Hyderabad side throughout the season, scoring 448 runs at an average of 49.78 and a strike rate of 177.07. South Africa will hope that he can use the experience to perform well during the World Cup in India.
4. All-Rounders- Marco Jansen And Wayne Parnell
Marco Jansen has made steady progress in the International Circuit in all three formats of the game since his debut for the proteas. The ICC Men’s Emerging Player of the Year 2022 was a great contributor for his side in all three formats and has gained experience playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last couple of seasons. The 22-year-old can hit some long sixes at the backend of the innings to finish the game for his side.
Wayne Parnell can swing the new ball and bowl at the death, the South African can be a valuable addition to any ODI side. The 33-year-old can also contribute with a bat and has a wealth of experience in the global T20 leagues. Parnell made a comeback for the South African team after the end of the Kolpak era and has done well for the National team in recent times.
5. Spinners – Tabraiz Shamsi And Bjorn Fortuin
With his consistent performances for the South African team, Tabraiz Shamsi has been one of the top bowlers in the white ball format of the game. Tabraiz possesses an air of mystery around him as he has a vast array of variations such as the top-spinner, googly, and the flipper in their bowling. Shamsi becomes even more threatening when a batter tries to go after him.
Bjorn Fortuin made a comeback in the proteas setup following his good form in the inaugural edition of the SA20 and that left-arm spinner can be a crucial player for South Africa coming into the sub-continental conditions, as he is known for his accuracy in the bowling.
6. Fast Bowlers – Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje And Sisanda Magala
Kagiso Rabada has struggled to perform well in the shortest format of the game of late. He had a forgettable T20 World Cup campaign, where he remained wicketless in the majority of the game followed by a poor IPL season with the Punjab Kings in 2023 season. He has produced very good numbers for South Africa in all three formats of the game since his international debut.
Anrich Nortje has been a valuable asset for the South African cricket team, making his presence felt in the big moments of the game. Nortje’s express pace made it difficult for the batters to pick him from the surface. He has established himself as a key member of the Proteas outfit across formats. Nortje can also bowl deadly yorkers and well-directed bouncers at high pace rattling high-quality batters in International Cricket.
Sisanda Magala made a comeback into the side and he has worked on his fitness since and picked wickets for the team since his return to the national team. He has also impressed playing for Eastern Cape in the ongoing SA20. He is a very highly-rated player in South Africa and can be a vital player for the team in Indian conditions.