Less than one month to go for the ICC world T-20 in Sri Lanka, we starts to look in to the teams pick for the world T-20. First team to announce their squad for the ICC-World T-20 is South Africa. South Africans are the biggest under acheivers in world cricket history. They produce many great players but yet to win a major ICC event. They always tend to fell below the expectations when comes to world cups. They will come to this tournament expecting to rectify it. South Africans have a new captain in A B de Villiers who was appointed after the 2011 ODI world cup.
South Africans have picked strong all-round team and inclusion of Kallis will give them valuble experience.Looking at their Bowling, South Africans picked 4 seam bowlers ( Steyn, Morne,Parnell & Tsotsobe) Intrestingly out of 4 fast bowlers 2 of them left armers and that give them a varried attack. They also have Kallis and Albie Morkel to assist them. In picking the playing XI South Africans are likely to go with Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Tsotsobe and leaving out Parnell.On Paper These 3 with Kallis look the best fast bowling attack in the tournament. But the biggest worry for them is bowling at the depth. Which is a big issue for South African in last couple of years in Limited overs Cricket. Their 2 main bowlers Morkel and Steyn struggle to bowl well at the depth. Even in IPL Dale Steyn gave lot of runs in the last overs. Morkel did better in the IPL but his length was short and he get away with it against local Indian Batsman. Tsotsobe and Kallis could be the choice of South Africans to bowl at the depth but Tsotsobe/Parnell not consistent in bowling at the depth which could be costly for them in Knock out Stages.
In the Spin Department South Africans picked 2 genuine spinners in Robin Peterson and Johan Botha. They will also have J P Duminy and Faf Du Plesis to chip in with part time spin. In recent years South Africans producing some decent spinners which made them better side than before. South Africans will likely to play one Spinner in the side and that one will be Robin Peterson if we go by their recent trend in picking the XI which is debatble as Johan Botha is their best spinner in the Squad. But South Africans trend to start the bowling with a spinner in sub continent will give Robin Peterson a better chance in playing in the XI. South African spinners won't have big threat like their fast bowlers specially against sub continent teams. But their bowling attack overall, look the best in the tournament.
In their Batting South Africans included Kallis in the squad to add some experience and stability to the batting line up. According to the news comming oput of South Africa Kallis likely to open the batting with Richard Levi. Hashim Amla will come at no. 3. which is strong top order. But Kallis and Amla being conventional batsman and matches are to be played in slow low pitches will test them regarding their strike rate. Therefore Richard Levi's contribution to the team become more vital. His experience playing in SLPL will put him in better shape, But his Struggle in the IPL would concerned the South Africans. AB De Villiers will bat at no.4 and their are very few who could bat better than him in shoter version of the game at the middle order. It will be interesting to see how he will handle the pressure if the top order struggle to get quick runs. J P Duminy expected to come at no.5 and his ability to play against spinners will be tested in this touranment. Faf Du Plesis will come at no.6 and he will needs to score qucikly against spinners and his lack of experience playing n Sri Lanka could go against him as the pitches are expected to be slow and overseas players historically struggled to tackle the slowness of the pitches in their first visit. He may call for openning the batting if Richard Levi struggle to find his feat at the top. Albie Morkel will be slotted at no. 7 but depending on the situation he will bat higher up the order. South Africans may sent him at the middle overs to target spinners and put the pressure to the opposition. South African batting line up is power packed but their problem lies at the top order as Levi likely to struggle in Sri Lanka and Amla and Kallis could be little slow in these pitches. Teams would find that scoring quickly in the first 6 overs will be very important in Sri Lanka.
Probability to win the Tournament : 80%
Player to watch : AB De Villiers
Prediction : South Africans will find them in a Knock out match needing AB De Villiers to play a Defining innings. Out Come of the AB De Villiers innings could decide the fate of the South Africans campaign.
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