ENG vs SA 2020: Ideal playing XI for both teams ahead of the third T20I in Cape Town
South Africa's barren run in T20Is continues as they have lost their 3rd successive T20I series at their home in 2020. The Proteas team ended up on the losing side in a close encounter on Sunday against the English team and now trail in the series by two games.
Dawid Malan hit a match-winning knock of 55 runs (in 40 balls). It was a tricky pitch as all the other top-order batsmen struggled to find proper timing.
However, Malan paced his innings perfectly and created a good platform for his side. Skipper Eoin Morgan played the finisher's role and took his team home while remaining unbeaten on 26* runs (in 17 balls).
In the bowling department, Chris Jordan equaled Stuart Broad's tally of 65 wickets to become England's joint-highest wicket-taker in the shortest format. Leg spinner Adil Rashid also reached a milestone in this match as he crossed the 50-wicket mark in T20I games.
Along with Graeme Swann, Rashid is currently the joint second-highest wicket-taker for England in T20s with 51 wickets.
Cape Town will host the third and last match of this T20 series on Tuesday. The game will begin at 9:30 PM (IST)/4:00 PM (GMT). This ground also hosted the first T20I of the current series, which ended up being a high-scoring contest.
The pitch will assist the batsmen more than the bowlers, and fans can expect another run-fest in this contest. 152 runs is the average first innings total at this ground, and in the second innings, it reduces to 143.
The 193 runs scored by the Australian team earlier this year is the highest total recorded at this ground in T20I cricket. The 183 runs scored by the England team during their successful chase in the first match of this series is the second-highest innings total at this venue.
South Africa's bowling unit performed pretty well in the second match of the series. Except for Lungi Ngidi, all the other bowlers were economical. Ngidi started very well and even picked up two wickets but proved to be expensive in the death overs and ended with figures of 2/51.
Now that the series is lost, the team management might look to make a few changes and give chances to fringe players in the squad. Right-arm pacer Lutho Sipamla might replace Ngidi in the upcoming encounter.
Junior Dala might also get an opportunity if South Africa decides to rest their spearhead Kagiso Rabada ahead of the ODI series, which will begin on Friday.
In the batting department, Temba Bavuma failed to impress as an opener in either of the T20s in the series. Young sensation Janneman Malan might replace him as the opener in the dead rubber on Tuesday.
England, on the other hand, will be looking to rest their key players for the match to manage their workloads. Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes are likely to sit out for this dead rubber. Mark Wood and Moeen Ali might replace the duo in the team's playing XI.
Skipper Eoin Morgan might also be rested as he has been playing non-stop cricket since the IPL started in the second half of September. Jos Buttler will lead the English team in that scenario, and Sam Billings will replace the Southpaw in the middle-order for the upcoming game.
South Africa have now lost the last 4 T20Is they have played against the England team. They will be eager to end this mini losing streak by winning the final T20I of the series on Tuesday.
England's ideal XI:
Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Chris Jordan
South Africa's ideal XI:
Quinton de Kock(C), Janneman Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Anrich Nortje, Junior Dala, Lutho Sipamla, Tabraiz Shamsi