South Africa is all set to take on the Australia in Match 47 of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 on Thursday, November 16 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Both the teams have a star-studded squad that can change the course of the game with their abilities. South Africa is the favourite to win this encounter against Australia.
South Africa and Australia have a fierce rivalry in the format. Both teams have played 109 ODI matches, with South Africa winning 55 games and Australia winning 50 games so far in the head to head encounters. In this article, we will take a look at the key player battles to watch out for in the match 47 of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 between South Africa and Australia.
Also Read: SA vs AUS, World Cup 2023 Semi-Final 2: Australia Team News and Injury Updates
Here are three player battles to watch out for during SA vs AUS semi-final 2 match:
1) Quinton de Kock vs Josh Hazlewood
Josh Hazlewood boasts an impressive track record against Quinton de Kock in ODIs, having dismissed the batter seven times in the format. Quinton de Kock has managed to score 124 runs against the pacer. Overcoming the Hazlewood challenge will be crucial for the South African batter in the upcoming game, where he aims to build on his remarkable performance of 591 runs, including four centuries. Meanwhile, Hazlewood has taken 12 wickets in nine matches.
2) David Warner vs Lungi Ngidi
In the upcoming match, Australian opener David Warner will face Lungi Ngidi, who has had success against him in One-Day Internationals, dismissing him four times in five matches. Warner has scored only 24 runs against Ngidi at an average of 6. Despite this, Warner has had a prolific tournament, accumulating 499 runs at an average of 55.44, featuring two centuries and two fifties. Lungi Ngidi, on the other hand, has taken 10 wickets in eight matches.
3) David Miller vs Pat Cummins
The clash between David Miller and Pat Cummins promises to be an intriguing battle. Cummins has dismissed Miller twice in One-Day Internationals, conceding 101 runs at a strike rate of 113.5. Miller has responded with eleven boundaries and two sixes against the pacer. Assessing their tournament performances, Cummins has taken 10 wickets in nine games, while Miller has scored 255 runs at an average of 36.42, including a fifty.