New Zealand vs South Africa Match Prediction: Who Will Win Today Cricket World Cup Match | CWC 2019

New Zealand vs South Africa Match Prediction: The Sportsrush present before you Match Prediction of 2019 World Cup Match 25 between NZ and SA.

Becoming the first side to win three straight encounters this edition of the World Cup, the Black Caps made heads turn with their clinical team performances. Finding themselves sitting in the top echelons of the league standings, New Zealand take on South Africa with a penchant of further consolidating the top spot.

Things won’t be easy though for New Zealand on Wednesday. They haven’t played in over a week now, a long unwanted break which is bound to have broken the momentum they had garnered. Also, in South Africa they face their sternest and trickiest test till date, a side who are revitalized after registering their first win of the tournament.

For South Africa, the tournament which threatened to end up as a fiasco has extended the smallest of chances of a revival. After putting on a clinical performance against Afghanistan, one befitting of the stature this side accords, they will be looking to replicate the same showing against New Zealand and continue their resurgence at the CWC.

New Zealand vs South Africa – What numbers suggest?

We’ve seen a total of 70 matches being rummaged between these two world-class teams over the years with South Africa holding a massive lead. They’ve win 41 matches as opposed to just the 24 for New Zealand while we’ve had 5 matches being truncated owing to murky weather conditions. The only match to be played in Edgbaston, the location for today’s match saw South Africa come out on top.

New Zealand vs South Africa – Key Battles

Kane Williamson vs Imran Tahir

After enduring a couple of matches that saw him fail to work his trickery and guile with the ball, Imra Tahir was back functioning at his 100% against Afghanistan. Back among the wickets, South Africa’s key weapon against New Zealand be looking to take out one of the mainstays of their batting line-up.

Traditionally known to have their problems against spin, something which came to the fore when they played India’s slower bowlers earlier in February and March, NZ have their best player of spin in Kane Williamson. He’s usually been unperturbed by it, with his record of four dismissals against Tahir in 10 innings.

The only way Tahir can pick up the New Zealand captain’s wicket is if he resorts to his quicker deliveries which skid off the surface. The wrong deliverers pitched on the off-stump and shaping back into Williamson will cause him problems and he can easily end up being castled or caught plumb on his pads.

Trent Boult vs Quinton de Kock

In a batting order which has massively disappointed, Quinton de Kock has continued on his merry ways. He’s been his side’s most dependable batsman, flawlessly hitting runs at will.

Coming on the back of a half-century against Afghanistan, de Kock’s role at the top holds more importance given the way Amla at the other end has failed to impress. New Zealand will be well aware that if they can send him back to the pavilion early on, they’ll open up a middle-order which has faltered and waned immensely up till now.

For Trent Boult, the game plan should all be about keeping the ball in the offside region. He needs to pitch it in the shorter length area with de Kock prone to lashing out at the ball in the early part of is innings as he tries to find the runs and get on course in his innings. Boult has a huge scruff over de Kock, having seen the back of him 4 times in 8 encounters, all catches in the early part of the opener’s innings.

New Zealand vs South Africa – Match Prediction

With the nature of the surface still an unknown entity with this being the first match over here in the tournament we are going to break down the winner solely on current form. The only side undefeated in the tournament alongside India, New Zealand’s pace battery has been their immense strength.

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Against South Africa, this is going to serve them dutifully yet again. South Africa have cascaded over wickets to the opposition in what has been an apathy filled batting display from the likes of Miller, Amla and Duminy and New Zealand will be looking to bank on that callous approach.

However, South Africa will be bolstered by Lungi Ngidi’s return and know that if their counterpart’s top 4 can be dismissed cheaply, New Zealand are prone to tumble. It promises to be a tasty encounter, one we see New Zealand edging only due to the reason of their top 4 having been dependable till now.