Australia vs South Africa Prediction and Betting Odds: ICC World Cup 2023

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is set to be the biggest and most exciting edition of the tournament, with 10 teams competing in a round-robin format across 10 venues in India. The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, which will be followed by the grand finale in Ahmedabad on November 19.

One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament is the clash between Australia and South Africa, which will take place on October 12 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. This will be the 10th match of the tournament and both teams will be looking to secure a crucial win to boost their chances of making it to the knockouts.

Australia vs South Africa Head to Head

Australia and South Africa have a long and rich history of rivalry in cricket, dating back to 1902 when they played their first Test match. Since then, they have faced each other in 78 Tests, 103 ODIs and 22 T20Is, with Australia having a slight edge over their opponents in all formats.

In Tests, Australia have won 52 matches, while South Africa have won 26. The remaining matches have ended in draws. In ODIs, South Africa have a slight advantage over Australia, having won 51 matches, while Australia have won 48. Three matches have ended in ties and one match had no result. In T20Is, Australia have dominated South Africa, winning 14 matches, while South Africa have won eight.

The two teams have also met six times in the Cricket World Cup, with Australia winning four times and South Africa winning twice. The most memorable encounter between them was the semifinal of the 1999 World Cup, which ended in a dramatic tie and saw Australia progress to the final on net run rate.

Australia vs South Africa Recent Form

Australia are currently ranked third in the ICC ODI rankings, behind England and India. They have been one of the most consistent and successful teams in ODI cricket, having won five World Cups, including three consecutive ones from 1999 to 2007. They also reached the semifinals of the last edition in 2019, where they lost to eventual champions England.

However, Australia have had some mixed results in recent times, losing series to India and New Zealand in early 2020 before bouncing back to beat England 2-1 in September 2020. They also lost to India 2-1 at home in November-December 2020 before thrashing New Zealand 3-0 away in March 2021. Their most recent ODI series was against West Indies in July 2021, which they won 2-1 despite missing some key players due to injuries and Covid-19 protocols.

South Africa are currently ranked fifth in the ICC ODI rankings, behind New Zealand and Pakistan. They have been one of the most talented and competitive teams in ODI cricket, but have also been plagued by the tag of ‘chokers’ for failing to win a major tournament despite reaching the semifinals four times. They also failed to make it past the group stage of the last World Cup in 2019, finishing seventh out of 10 teams.

South Africa have also had a turbulent period in recent times, with issues such as administrative turmoil, racial quotas and Covid-19 affecting their performance and morale. They lost series to India and England in late 2019 and early 2020 before beating Australia 3-0 at home in March 2020. They also lost to Pakistan 2-1 at home in April 2021 before beating West Indies 3-2 away in June-July 2021. Their most recent ODI series was against Sri Lanka in September-October 2021, which they won 4-1.

Australia vs South Africa Prediction and Betting Odds

Based on their head to head record, recent form and squad strength, Australia are the favourites to win this match against South Africa. According to Bet365, Australia have odds of 1.72 to win this match, while South Africa have odds of 2.12. According to Betway, Australia have odds of 1.75 to win this match, while South Africa have odds of 2.05.

However, this match could be closer than expected, as both teams have some quality players who can turn the game on its head. Australia will rely on their experienced batsmen such as David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell, as well as their potent pace attack led by Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. South Africa will bank on their explosive batsmen such as Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller, as well as their versatile bowling unit featuring Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi.

The pitch in Lucknow is expected to be a good one for batting, with some assistance for the spinners as the game progresses. The average first innings score at this venue in ODIs is 256, while the average second innings score is 233. The highest total at this venue is 387/5 by India against England in 2008, while the lowest total is 79 by Afghanistan against West Indies in 2019. The team batting first has won four out of the six ODIs played here, while the team chasing has won two.

The weather in Lucknow is expected to be sunny and warm, with no chances of rain. The temperature is likely to be around 32 degrees Celsius, while the humidity is likely to be around 50%. The wind speed is likely to be around 10 km/h.

Conclusion

Australia vs South Africa is one of the most exciting and competitive matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, with both teams having a lot to play for. Australia are the favourites to win this match based on their head to head record, recent form and squad strength, but South Africa are not far behind and have the potential to cause an upset. The match could be decided by the performance of the key players from both sides, as well as the conditions of the pitch and the weather. We predict that Australia will win this match by a narrow margin and secure a vital win in their quest for a sixth World Cup title.

FAQ

Q: When and where will Australia vs South Africa match take place?

A: The Australia vs South Africa match will take place on October 12 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The match will start at 2:00 PM local time (8:30 AM GMT).

Q: How can I watch Australia vs South Africa match live?

A: You can watch Australia vs South Africa match live on various platforms such as Star Sports Network, Hotstar, Sky Sports Cricket, SuperSport, Willow TV, Fox Sports and more. You can also follow the live score and updates on various websites such as Cricbuzz, ESPNcricinfo, ICC Cricket and more.

Q: Who are the key players for Australia vs South Africa match?

A: Some of the key players for Australia vs South Africa match are David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for Australia and Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi for South Africa.