NZ vs SA match today: In 2015, New Zealand broke its dream of playing the final

NZ vs SA match today: In 2015, New Zealand broke its dream of playing the final.

Current runner-up New Zealand will face South Africa today in the 32nd match of the ODI World Cup 2023. The match will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium (MCA), Pune from 2:00 pm onwards. The toss will take place at 1:30 pm before the match.

The team that wins today's match will have an easy path to qualifying for the semi-finals. New Zealand is at third place in the table with 8 points after 4 wins in 6 matches. South Africa is at second position with 10 points after winning 5 out of 6 matches.

In this story, we will know the head-to-head record of both the teams, results of World Cup matches, pitch report, weather conditions and possible playing eleven…

Important thing related to both the teams: Since 1999, there have been 5 matches between the two in the World Cup, New Zealand won all the five matches. These also include 2 knockout matches of 2011 and 2015 World Cup.

Let's start with some memorable matches played between the two teams

In the 2015 semi-finals, New Zealand had made it to the finals only by defeating South Africa. In Auckland, New Zealand needed 5 runs from the last 2 balls. Dale Steyn, one of the most dangerous bowlers of that season, was bowling. Grant Elliot hit a six off Steyn's ball and New Zealand won the thrilling match by 4 wickets.

Even in the quarter-finals of the 2011 World Cup, New Zealand had defeated South Africa and thrown them out of the tournament. This was the third final of that World Cup. In the match played in Mirpur, New Zealand won the toss and batted first and scored 221 runs and gave a target of 222 runs to South Africa. In reply, South Africa team was all out for 172 runs.

Head-to-head

New Zealand's performance against South Africa in ODIs is not very good. A total of 71 ODIs have been played between the two teams so far. New Zealand won 25 matches and South Africa won 41 matches. There were 5 matches no result.

But New Zealand has defeated South Africa in the World Cup. Both the teams have clashed 8 times so far, New Zealand has won 6 and South Africa has won only 2.

Both teams will face each other after four years

Both the teams will face each other in ODI after four years. The last time both faced each other was in the 2019 World Cup. The 25th match of the tournament was played in Birmingham, in which New Zealand won by four wickets in the last over. The team's regular captain Kane Williamson led the team to victory by scoring a century in the match.

Rachin, playing his first World Cup, scored two centuries and two half-centuries.

Rachin Ravindra, playing his first World Cup, is New Zealand's top run scorer. He has scored 406 runs in 6 matches of the tournament. He also has two centuries and two half centuries to his name. Daryl Mitchell is at second place; he has scored 322 runs in 6 matches. 31-year-old bowler Mitchell Santner has taken maximum 14 wickets for the team.

Aiden Markram's excellent form continues

Aiden Markram has scored the most runs for South Africa in this edition of the ODI World Cup. He has one century and three half-centuries to his name in six matches. Among the bowlers, Marco Jansson has taken 13 wickets, he is the team's top wicket taker in the current season of the World Cup.

pitch report

The third match of the tournament will be played at MCA Stadium. Earlier, India-Bangladesh and Afghanistan-Sri Lanka matches were also played on this ground. The pitch here is batting friendly.

So far 9 ODI matches have been played on this ground, the team batting first has won 4 and the team batting later has won 5 matches. The average total in the first inning is 294 runs.

The highest team score is 356, which was made by India against England in 2017. The lowest team score is 232, which was made by India against Australia in 2013.

weather forecast

There is no chance of rain in Pune on November 1. During this period the wind speed will be 9 kilometers per hour. The temperature can range from 18 to 33 degrees Celsius.

Possible playing- 11

New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain and wicketkeeper), Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson and Trent Boult.

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansson, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi and Gerald Cootjee/Kagiso Rabada.