ENG vs SA Preview: South Africa poses threat to England’s Top 4 ambitions

The action will continue in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as England and South Africa are all set to lock horns in Match 20 on Saturday, October 20 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Both teams are coming into the game having lost their respective previous encounters.

England were stunned by Afghanistan by 69 runs while South Africa faced an embarrassing 38-run loss against the Netherlands. The Proteas are ranked on the third spot on the points table with two wins from three matches having four points to their name. On the other hand, England find themselves on the fifth spot on the points table with one win from three matches having two points to their name.

The upcoming fixture promises to be an enthralling affair as both teams will be desperate to return back to the winning track after embarrassing losses. Notably, England has had an upper hand over South Africa in the ODI World Cup, having beaten them four times out of the seven matches played between the two teams. The Proteas will be eager to get level with the defending champions as the two teams look to get crucial two points to their name on the points table.

Pitch Report

In the last five matches played at the venue, four have been won by teams batting second. The average first innings score in the same time period has been 276 while the highest target chased is 281. The pitch has been great for batting in recent times and hence big scores are expected during the game. Captain winning the toss will look to bowl first keeping the past records of the venue in mind

Probable Playing XI