Big Picture – Can Pakistan get back on track? As one campaign unravels, another gathers full steam. It’s a familiar theme for Pakistan and South Africa across much of ICC tournament history. While South Africa have often looked among the most formidable sides in the early stages of these tournaments, Pakistan stutter and stall until

Big picture: Crucial game for Bangladesh Who wants to face the team that smashed 399 in their previous game? And at the venue they did it too. Bangladesh have that privilege, as they take on a South African unit fresh – or are they, given the searing Mumbai heat? – from their dismantling of defending

Jos Buttler admitted that England had “potentially” made a mistake when choosing to bowl first on the way to a 229-run thrashing by South Africa at the Wankhede, before conceding his team will likely need to “win every game from here on in” to keep their World Cup defence alive. Asked to bat first in

Scott Edwards led from the front to take Netherlands to their most famous ODI World Cup win – their first over a Test-playing nation in five appearances at the tournament – when they beat South Africa in Dharamsala on Tuesday. He was “extremely proud” of his team, and “very excited to get our first win

Netherlands 245 for 8 (Edwards 78*, van der Merwe 29, Jansen 2-27) beat South Africa 207 (Miller 43, van Beek 3-60, van der Merwe 2-34, de Leede 2-36, van Meekeren 2-40) by 38 runs 43 overs a side Scott Edwards‘ rousing unbeaten half-century gave his bowlers belief and they shot for the stars, demolishing South

“You got to let the emotion kind of seep in,” Bavuma said at the post-match presentation. “Don’t think there is any point in trying to forget what’s happened. It is going to hurt, it should hurt.” “But then you come back tomorrow, you wake up and we get back onto the journey. Our campaign is

“The only thing the past gives us is learning.” South Africa head coach Rob Walter was talking about his side’s defeat to Netherlands at the 2022 T20 World Cup when he shared this aphorism. South Africa were not only stunned but knocked out of the tournament. But, Walter said, they have learnt their lesson. So

South Africa 311 for 7(De Kock 109, Markram 56) beat Australia 177 (Labuschagne 46, Rabada 3-33) by 134 runs If South Africa really do want to move through this 2023 World Cup under the radar, they must do better than this. Because in wiping the floor with Australia in Lucknow, winning by a mammoth 134

Following two big losses in two matches to start the 2023 ODI World Cup, Australia captain Pat Cummins has said his side is “hurting” but that they must find a way to regroup and “make amends”. “I think if we want to be challenging, you got to try and find a way in all conditions,

Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana is likely to strengthen the XI for their second World Cup game, against Pakistan on Tuesday, according to their assistant coach Naveed Nawaz. “He’s fit and should play tomorrow,” Nawaz said on the eve of the match. “Didn’t want to risk him in the first game against medical advice but

There aren’t too many arguments going around against South Africa having the best top-six in the world. The maverick Quinton de Kock, the stable Temba Bavuma, the conventional No. 3 Rassie van der Dussen, and then the dynamic powerhouse trio of Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller. It is what follows that comes up

Aiden Markram is not the most expressive person on a cricket field at the best of times. He likes to keep it even. Rassie van der Dussen is not too different. On Saturday in Delhi, though, the duo and Quinton de Kock let their emotion pour out when they celebrated their hundreds. That show of

South Africa 428 for 5 (van der Dussen 108, Markram 106, de Kock 100) beat Sri Lanka 326 (Asalanka 79, Mendis 76, Shanaka 68, Coetzee 3-68) by 102 runs A trio of centuries, including the fastest ever in a World Cup, saw South Africa lay down a commanding marker as they kicked off their World

Big Picture – Delhi conditions could be Sri Lanka’s friend Sri Lanka could hardly have picked a tougher opponent to face first up at the World Cup than South Africa. The Sri Lankans come into this game with big question marks over their batting and have an injury-weakened bowling attack; South Africa, in contrast, seem

“I’ve sat in a lot of team meetings and the more the opposition talks about a certain batter or bowler, the more you are in their heads and the more you are ahead of them in the game. Someone like Anrich would have been someone they would have spoken about,” Simons said from South Africa’s

After his unbeaten 114 against Australia in the first ODI earlier this month, Bavuma suffered a hamstring niggle but was fit to play the next two games. He then suffered an inner thigh muscle strain and was rested from the fourth ODI as a precautionary measure. He returned for the final game of the series

West Indies T20 sensation, Nicholas Pooran, was unveiled as the Durban’s Super Giants wildcard pick ahead of the SA20 auction that took place in Johannesburg on Wednesday. This will be Pooran’s first time playing the tournament and he will represent the same owners he plays for in the Indian Premier League. The 27-year old delivered

South Africa 236 for 6 (Tryon 71, de Klerk 58*, Rowe 2-26) beat New Zealand 235 for 8 (Halliday 76, Rowe 52, Klaas 3-60) by four wickets Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon‘s 124-run sixth-wicket partnership helped South Africa stage a come-from-behind win in the first ODI against New Zealand in Potchefstroom. Tryon joined de

“It’s hugely disappointing for Anrich and Sisanda to be missing out on the 50-over World Cup,” South Africa’s coach Rob Walter said. “We sympathize in their omission and will continue to provide all the necessary support as they work towards their return to competitive action. “This provides an opportunity for Andile and Lizaad on the

Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala will undergo fitness tests this week to determine their availability for the ODI World Cup. They were named in South Africa’s initial 15-member squad for the tournament, but played only one fixture each of the five-match ODI series against Australia, before sustaining lower-back and left-knee injuries respectively. A final call

Quinton de Kock has admitted that the lure of T20 league money influenced his decision to retire from ODI cricket after this year’s World Cup as he looks to “top up” his earnings as his career winds down. Although just 30 years old, de Kock has been playing professional cricket for the last 11 years,

Heinrich Klaasen spent Friday night either watching the highlights of his 83-ball 174 or looking after his nine-month old daughter Laya; or maybe juggling a bit of both as he soaked in what he hinted was the most enjoyable match of his career. “It was special and a lot to take in. I will go

Nortje had already missed the third ODI in Potchefstroom earlier this week with back spasms. He “underwent scans and consulted with a specialist this week, and will start bowling again this weekend under the supervision of the Proteas medical team”, a CSA release stated. He played just the second ODI in Bloemfontein where Australia amassed

After skipping the Pakistan tour, Chloe Tryon is back in the South Africa squad that will play three ODIs and five T20Is against New Zealand at home. Laura Wolvaardt will continue to lead the side, having taken over in an interim capacity for the tour of Pakistan after Sune Luus stepped down from the position

At what point should a team that has lost five successive fixtures across white-ball formats start to panic? Or, if that sounds too extreme, when should that team, with the knowledge that a World Cup is less than a month away, begin to show some signs of concern? South Africa’s No. 5 put the team’s

AB de Villiers feels that India batter Suryakumar Yadav, the world’s No. 1 T20I batter, needs a slight tweak in his mindset in order to replicate his success in the 50-over format. Suryakumar, who has managed to hold onto his spot in India’s squad for the upcoming World Cup, averages only 24.33 in ODIs, with

South Africa were well on track to defend a below-par 222 in the first ODI against Australia and had them at 113 for 7, but an unbeaten 112-run partnership between concussion sub Marnus Labuschagne and No. 8 Ashton Agar saw Australia cruise to a comfortable win. Bavuma, who was not on the field for most

Cameron Green has been substituted out of Australia’s opening ODI against South Africa in Bloemfontein with a concussion after he was hit by a Kagiso Rabada bouncer in the sixth over of the chase. Marnus Labuschagne took his place in the line-up. Green had only just arrived at the crease after Rabada removed Mitchell Marsh

South Africa’s ODI captain Temba Bavuma was not aware of his opening partner Quinton de Kock‘s decision to retire from the format until the official announcement was made at the unveiling of the World Cup squad on Tuesday. De Kock will step away from the 50-over cricket after this year’s World Cup, but remains available

Quinton de Kock will retire from ODI cricket after the World Cup in India but is likely to continue playing T20Is for South Africa until the 2024 World Cup. Although no reason was given for de Kock’s sudden decision to step away from the fifty-over format, less than two years after giving up Test cricket,