Australia and South Africa will meet for the 10th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 12, 2023. The match will take place at BRSABVE Cricket Stadium in Lucknow at 2:30 PM Bangladesh time. Let’s see which team has a better chance to win the AUS vs. SA ODI match.

Preview of AUS vs. SA ODI in ICC World Cup 2023

In their inaugural match of the tournament against India, the Australian team delivered a dull performance and faced a six-wicket defeat. The batting display failed to gain momentum, overwhelmed by a persistent struggle to find the right track. Wickets fell at regular intervals as the Aussies tried to boost the run rate, but their vulnerability against the Indian spinners became apparent. Despite a promising early start with the ball, having India at 3-2, gaps in fielding, and a modest target allowed India to comfortably secure victory.

Significant worries have been raised regarding the composition of the Australian side, particularly concerning their challenges in setting a competitive pace while batting. Additionally, concerns appear over the adequacy of spin-bowling options, especially with favorable playing conditions expected throughout the tournament and Adam Zampa facing difficulties. The Australian team finds itself grappling with strategic and performance issues, prompting a closer examination of their approach as they navigate the challenges ahead.

On the other hand, South Africa had an awesome start to the ICC World Cup 2023. They played against Sri Lanka and won by a huge 102-run margin, breaking some records along the way. They were really tough on the Sri Lankan bowlers. Three South African players, including Aiden Markram, scored 100 runs each. Markram even set a new record for the fastest hundred in World Cup history. The team made the highest score ever in World Cup history, reaching 428. Even though Sri Lanka bowled well, South Africa did a great job and comfortably won the match.

But, even with this big win, people are still wondering about South Africa's bowling team. Some worry that other teams might figure out how to play against specific bowlers who have to bowl all their turns.

Marcus Stoinis, who couldn't play in the first game because of an injury, might come back for this match, possibly replacing Cameron Green, who hasn't been in the best form. South Africa is likely to stick with the same team that played in the last match. Let's see how they do in the upcoming game.

However, before the World Cup, both teams were in an ODI series from September 7 to September 17, 2023. The Proteas had a great comeback and secured a win in that series by 3-2. So, Australia might have to change their approach against South Africa.

Read more: ICC World Cup 2023 Tickets: How to Buy Online, Booking, Prices, Starting Dates and Timings

Australia vs South Africa Head to Head in ODI

Australia and South Africa have competed in 108 ODI matches. Out of these, Australia won 50 matches, while South Africa claimed victory 54 times. One match concluded without a result, and three matches ended in a tie.

Table: AUS vs. SA Head-to-Head ODI Matches So Far

Predicted Playing XI for Australia

David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

Predicted Playing XI for South Africa

Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi.

Read more: ICC World Cup 2023: Schedule, Fixtures, Venues, Team List

Australian Players to Watch in AUS vs SA Match

David Warner

Warner was the second-highest scorer in the last match against India. He scored 41 runs from 52 balls. However, he went into the first match of the tournament with both recent good form and a track record that indicates he was well-prepared to excel in the demanding conditions. So, he might spark in the next match.

Marnus Labuschagne

The Australian batsman entered the World Cup squad through a replacement, taking the place of the injured spinner Ashton Agar. In 2023, he showcased impressive form, scoring 491 runs in 11 innings, featuring a century and two half-centuries. He scored 27 runs from 41 balls in the last match. So, will surely do better in the next match.

Glenn Maxwell

Famously known as the "Big Show," the white-ball sensation in Australian cricket is an integral member of Australia's World Cup squad. Maxwell, who plays in the middle order as a batsman and contributes as an off-spinner, recently achieved his best ODI bowling figures of 4-40 in the third ODI against India on September 27, 2023. In the last match, he scored 15 runs from 25 balls. However, he could help well with the ball.

Read more: ICC World Cup 2023 Venues: Cities and Stadiums in India

South African Players to Watch in AUS vs SA Match

Temba Bavuma

Consistently undervalued despite impressive performances in his 31 ODIs so far, Bavuma Bavuma finds himself nestled between Virat Kohli and Michael Bevan in the all-time ODI averages. He has been unstoppable, achieving centuries against England, West Indies, and Australia. However, scored only 8 runs in the last match. He has the potential to do his best in the next match.

Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock has been outstanding in the last match as he scored a century from 84 balls. Further, de Cock has a great strike rate in 2023. Having scored 443 from 11 matches at a 96.30 strike rate makes him one of the payers to watch in the upcoming match.

Heinrich Klaasen

In a team filled with strong hitters, Klaasen stands out for his knack to step onto the pitch later in the game and start hitting boundaries right away. He has one of the highest strike rates with 112.44 among current batters, often scoring the majority of his runs through fours and sixes. So, he has great potential to smash any team.

Final Words

After winning the five-match ODI series 3-2 against Australia in September 2023 and a big win against Sri Lanka, South Africa enters Thursday's match with confidence, believing they can defeat Australia once more. On the other hand, Australia needs to make a comeback to stay in the competition and keep their chances of reaching the semi-finals alive. According to the most recent performance, South Africa has a great chance to win the AUS vs SA ODI match in the 2023 ICC Men's World Cup.

Read more: ICC World Cup 2023 Live Streaming: How and Where to Watch all matches Online