🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup : M 9 : SA vs Canada at Ahmedabad🏏 - Page 3

Ahmedabad is a venue for big scores. Each of the last three T20Is at this venue has seen a 200-plus total in the first innings. However, there's usually some help for the seamers with the new ball as well, particularly in the second innings. South Africa have the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje to exploit whatever assistance there is.

Who can bend a match in 10 balls

...yes, him: Dewald Brevis. He's not quite lived up to the hype. Yet. But his 53, 75 not out and 101 at the sharp end of the SA20 suggest he's getting there quickly. You don't score a century in a major final - even if your team loses, and against an attack that includes Jansen and Anrich Nortje - without knowing what you're doing.

It's a cutthroat group, what with South Africa, Afghanistan and New Zealand all capable of claiming one of the two available Super Eight places. The South Africans will have the advantage of acquainting themselves with conditions in Ahmedabad before they have to take on both their rivals for a spot in the next round.

Date Opponent Venue
February 9: Canada, Narendra Modi stadium, Ahmedabad
February 11 Afghanistan Narendra Modi stadium, Ahmedabad
February 14 New Zealand Narendra Modi stadium, Ahmedabad
February 28 Oman Arun Jaitley stadium, New Delhi

6.32pm: Canada win the toss and bowl, "very excited to be here," says Dilpreet Bajwa, captaining Canada for the first time in a T20I. "Feels like a good batting track but [because of] dew we choose to bowl first."

6.20pm: Firdose is on the ground at the Modium, though she says there aren't too many others through the turnstiles yet. This is a stadium with a capacity of 100,000, of course. She says she "can see Jason Smith having a bowl". Does that mean he's got the nod over Tristan Stubbs? "The bowlers in operation are KG, Kwena, Aiden, Smith and Bosch. No Nortje or Jansen, who is stretching." Brevis is now practising his legspin, too. Could be that options are needed on what is usually a high-scoring ground. We'll find out the combination soon enough...

South Africa have never played Canada in a T20I, and their captain, Aiden Markram, admitted he wasn't "100% sure what to expect" from this game. They come into the tournament as one of the favourites, with experience through the order and a gun fast-bowling unit. Heinrich Klaassen may have retired, but they've got an in-form "Baby AB", who has remembered how to play like he's 19 again. And if they need some tips on who they are up against, well look no further. As well as her Brevis interview, Firdose Moonda has caught up with Nicholas Kirton, the former Canada captain who is back for another World Cup - despite having been arrested on drug-trafficking charges in between. And look out for a familiar(ish) name at the top of the order, as big-hitting Yuvraj Samra looks to live up to his billing.

Canada (Playing XI): Yuvraj Samra, Dilpreet Bajwa(c), Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva(w), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel

South Africa (Playing XI): Aiden Markram(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi

Markram: Looks a pretty good surface. Hopefully we can get off to a good start, get a really good score and take that momentum with the ball. Fantastic stadium to play at. Looking forward to getting on a good run in Ahmedabad. Big help for sure. People can say what they want about white-ball wickets, but they still vary from continent to continent. Really looking forward to starting the World Cup. Obviously that's the long-term goal to go one step forward, but we have to earn that right. Stubbs plays at number six. Have gone with four seamers and Kesh as the spinner.

Bajwa: Would like to bowl first. Excited to play against SA. Happy to play in this stadium. Feels like it's a good batting track. Because of dew we chose to bowl. Let's see how it goes. Had a pre-tour in SL. We didn’t get much cricket in Canada, but thanks to our board for arranging the pre-tour. Had very good practice matches against SL A. Have three fast bowlers. Saad bin Zafar - left arm spinner, Ansh Patel - chinaman. Already we rub shoulders with big players in GT20. But this is a World Cup, a big stage, and it’s a great opportunity for them to showcase their talent to the world.

Thanks for the tag Madhu.

May the best team win.

Cheers..

Mahesh : "This world cup has been very exciting. The other day Nepal have England run for their money and Dutch threatened to take the game away from Pakistan. I hope Canada join the party and make a match oit of this game. Good Luck!"

Dilon Heyliger to Aiden Markram, FOUR, finds the gap nicely! Full delivery just outside off, it's the outswinger and Markram drives nicely in the direction of the swing. Goes through the gap at extra cover

Dilon Heyliger to Aiden Markram, no run, this one stays low! Short and wide again, three bad balls in a row from Heyliger, but it doesn't get up as much as Markram expects. Beaten on the cut.

Dilon Heyliger to Aiden Markram, FOUR, wide half-volley, Markram reaches out and crunches it through the covers. Got away with the previous delivery, not this time. Not a great start from Heyliger

SA--20/0 After 2 overs