Who will win Zimbabwe vs South Africa (1st T20i)?
South Africa host Zimbabwe at Buffalo Park, East London, in the first T20i, looking to continue the form they showed in the ODI series. The match is scheduled for October 9 and the live action begins at 18:00 local time.
South Africa vs Zimbabwe (1st T20i): Where to watch/Live streaming
TV channels: Sony Six, SuperSport, OSN Sports, Willow TV, Sky Sports, PTV Sports, Ten Sports, Gazi TV
Live streaming: SonyLiv, Willow TV Online, OSN Play, Foxtel Sports, Now TV
Toss Prediction
With South Africa’s bowlers in top form, expect the hosts to want to bowl first and chase in the first T20.
Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds and match prediction for South Africa vs Zimbabwe (1st T20i).
South Africa Team News & Playing 11
SA Team News
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis is fit, having made a sooner-than-expected return from injury – getting some time in the middle in the third ODI. Quinton de Kock and David Miller are also back in the squad after being rested for the ODI series, while there is a first call-up for Rassie van der Dussen, who has impressed in franchise tournaments this year. Border wicketkeeper-batsman Gihahn Cloete could also make his debut. Kagiso Rabada has been rested for the T20i series, while Dale Steyn was not selected.
SA Key Players
Big-hitting David Miller returns after being rested for the ODI series, and will look to build on the 202 runs he has scored in his last nine T20 internationals. His most recent T20 outing was for the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League, where he scored 205 runs in seven innings at an average of 68.33.
Captain Faf du Plessis is another dangerman, having proved his fitness with 26 on his return from injury in the third ODI. He averages 36.09 with the bat in T20 internationals, while he scored 162 runs in six games for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL this year, opening the batting in the final.
Rassie van der Dussen could make his debut thanks to his franchise form, meanwhile. He was one of the top Global T20 Canada batsmen, scoring 255 runs at an average of 51.
With the ball, Lungi Ngidi has taken six wickets in his four T20 internationals so far and was also part of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL success. The young paceman took 11 wickets in seven matches, with an economy rate of six runs per over – he even bowled two maidens.
Adile Phehlukwayo also leads the pace attack – he took five wickets in the ODI series, and took 5-26 in his most recent T20 match, for KwaZulu-Natal in the Africa T20 Cup.
SA Team Form
South Africa have only won one of their four T20 internationals in 2018. At home to India in February, they lost the three-game series 2-1 and, most recently, lost a one-off match against Sri Lanka in Colombo by three wickets.
The more recent game was a low-scoring one, as South Africa were dismissed for 98, but Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi and Junior Dala each took two wickets as Sri Lanka only won by three wickets.
In the series against India, Junior Dala was again their star man – claiming seven wickets despite the 2-1 series loss. JP Duminy weighed in with 122 runs across the three games, meanwhile, as India won the first and last matches in the series to claim victory.
South Africa Predicted Playing 11
Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock, David Miller, JP Duminy, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, Adile Phehlukwayo, Junior Dala, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Imran Tahir
Zimbabwe Team News & Playing 11
ZIM Team News
Chamu Chibhabha, Tendai Chisoro, Neville Madziva, Christopher Mpofu and Tarisai Musakanda link up with the Zimbabwe squad for the T20 series – none of whom featured in the ODI series. Zimbabwe’s top wicket taker in the Zimbabwe T20 Tri Nation Series against Pakistan and Australia, Blessing Muzarabani, is no longer available after quitting international cricket to sign a Kolpak contract with Northamptonshire. Former captain Graeme Cremer is out injured, while Sikandar Raza remains unavailable for selection after a dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket – he is playing in the APL instead.
ZIM Key Players
Solomon Mire was the stand-out player in the Zimbabwe T20 Tri Series for the host nation, in an otherwise disappointing week. He scored 212 runs, including 94 from 63 balls against Pakistan and 63 from 52 against Australia.
Zimbabwe will hope the return of the likes of Brendan Taylor to the international fold can improve their batting fortunes, meanwhile. Taylor averages 27.10 in T20 matches, with one century and 22 50s in his 126 innings.
The tourists will need their bowlers to take some heat of their mis-firing batsmen, however. Kyle Jarvis has taken 14 wickets in 12 previous T20 internationals, while Tandai Chatara – who took six wickets in the ODI series – has 15 from 13 in T20 internationals.
ZIM Team Form
Zimbabwe have lost all six T20 international matches they have played in 2018, including four from four in the Zimbabwe T20 Tri-Nation Series in Harare in July. Solomon Mire hit half centuries against both Pakistan and Australia in that tournament, but both of those matches ended in last-over defeats. It was an improvement on their first two games, however, when Aaron Finch’s record-breaking innings helped Australia to a 100-run win and Pakistan bowled the hosts out for 108 in a 74-run win. Prior to that series, Zimbabwe faced Afghanistan in two matches in Sharjah, and lost them both.
Zimbabwe Predicted Playing 11
Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza, Tarisai Musakanda, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Peter Moor, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Brandon Mavuta, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara
Oct 09, 2018
21:30 IST / 16:00 GMT
Buffalo Park - East London, South Africa
Sa vs Zim 
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