ICC Cricket World Cup: South Africa vs West Indies - 5 things to look forward to

With things heating up as far as the points table is concerned, Pool B looks wide open. A win for South Africa would leave the top 4 teams tied with the same amount of points while a West Indies victory will catapult them ahead of the others to pole position.Had this been the first match of the World Cup, South Africa would have been clear favourites, with AB de Villiers in ominous form, and West Indies going through a phase of internal turmoil. However, West Indies’ performance in the last game, powered by Chris Gayle’s brutal onslaught, has changed the face of this encounter.On the eve of this crucial match, here are 5 things to look forward to:

#1 The return of Chris Gayle

Christopher Henry Gayle smashed the first double hundred in World Cup history in West Indies’ last game against Zimbabwe, helping the men from the Caribbean register a 73-run victory. The Windies enter the match against South Africa on the back of this huge victory, which would give them a lot of confidence. A lot will be riding on Gayle, and Jason Holder’s West Indies will be hoping that the Jamaican continues in the same vein.

He remains a doubtful starter due to his troublesome back. If Gayle carries on from where he left off in Canberra, though, there is not much that even South Africa would be able to do to stop him. Another colossal innings from the big man at the top will lay down a strong foundation for a huge total, and West Indies would like to capitalize on that.

#2 Can AB de Villiers rise to the occasion?

For a man who entered the tournament in such imperious form, de Villiers has been quite sedate till now. Once he gets going, he can change the course of the game single-handedly, and the Windies have had ample experience of that in the last month alone.

The Jason Holder-led pace attack needs to be wary of de Villiers, and must ideally not allow him to settle in. A de Villiers special is what the Proteas are missing, and it will not be a huge surprise if their star batsman rises to the occasion tomorrow.

#3 The Sydney factor

The World Cup moves to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) as it plays host to tomorrow’s encounter. The track has borne the brunt of a long season, and the usual seam movement may be lacking. As a result, the pacers will have to work hard to extract any assistance from the wicket.

From South Africa’ s perspective, the Proteas openers have to overcome the Windies pace attack and steer South Africa to a respectable total. Failure to do so would just be added pressure on the middle-order, and be a cause of their undoing. On the contrary, a stellar opening partnership is exactly what could potentially make a huge difference to the final outcome.

South Africa had a nightmare at the SCG back in 1992, when they were at the receiving end of the then prevailing rain rule, requiring 22 runs off one delivery. This time around, they will look to make amends.

#4 Dale Steyn vs Chris Gayle

With Dale Steyn yet to show why he is the best bowler in the world, and Gayle powering on with an explosive knock, this promises to be a mouth-watering battle. Steyn has some scores to settle against the Jamaican, who had the better of Steyn at the Wanderers and Centurion last month. To be fair, Steyn dismissed him in Durban, but only after Gayle had hit a breezy 41. Steyn’s hunger for wickets and Gayle’s resolve to keep the momentum going sets up this clash beautifully.

South Africa need to quickly sort out the Steyn conundrum, and make best use of their spearhead. With stakes even higher after the loss against India, the 31-year-old’s return to form is extremely crucial.

#5 South Africa\'s historical advantage

The Proteas may be termed ‘Chokers’ every now and then, but as far as their performances against the West Indies is concerned, they have the upper hand. Since 2007, West Indies have managed just one win in 17 games against the South Africans.

History suggests that an easy win for the Proteas is on the cards, especially with de Villiers having pulverised the men from the Caribbean as recently as last month. However, the pressure of a World Cup game and the euphoria of the 372-run record partnership between Gayle and Samuels can turn the tide in Windies’ favour.