West Indies vs South Africa 1st T20I Prediction: Who will win today's match?
After a one-sided Test series that ended 2-0 in the visitors' favor, West Indies and South Africa will lock horns in a five-match T20I series that starts in Grenada on Saturday, June 26.
Neither team comes into this series on the back of great results. The Windies, despite being a T20I powerhouse, have lost three of their last five in the format, while South Africa have fared worse with four losses in their last five.
However, both teams will have the opportunity to turn their fortunes around in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, with West Indies in particular playing as many as 15 T20Is before the marquee ICC event rolls around later this year. The Caribbean outfit has recalled veteran all-rounder Andre Russell to the side, while explosive young batsman Shimron Hetmyer missed out.
The Proteas, on the other hand, are under a new leader in Temba Bavuma, who will look to shepherd an inexperienced side to some T20 glory against the defending champions. Interestingly, they have the head-to-head advantage in the T20I format, with six wins in 10 previous encounters.
West Indies vs South Africa 1st T20I Match Prediction: Who will win the series opener in Grenada?
South Africa are the definite underdogs heading into this series against West Indies, despite being on the back of a historic Test triumph.
Inexperience is expected to be the visitors' biggest drawback. Quinton de Kock, who has been relieved of his captaincy duties and struck form in the Test series, and David Miller are the only two batsmen in the squad who've played a fair number of T20I games. The duo, along with the consistent Rassie van der Dussen and captain Bavuma, will be tasked with carrying the bulk of the responsibility in the batting department.
The bowling, featuring Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi and Lungi Ngidi, inspires more confidence. But they will be up against perhaps the most formidable T20I batting lineup ever assembled.
Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Jason Holder, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo - the list goes on and on, even in the absence of Hetmyer. Although a few of these batsmen aren't in the best of form, they can be trusted to come good like they always do.
The West Indies bowling, while a touch weaker than lineups they've put out in the past, isn't too shabby either. But the telling factor in this West Indies side is that they've often been able to compensate for when the bowlers have leaked runs.
The pitch in Grenada is expected to be a belter, assuming the rain that has been forecast for the clash stays away. West Indies, with a stable leader in Pollard and a power-packed unit, should be the favorites for this clash. Bavuma may need a few more matches to oversee a smooth transition, especially in the absence of veterans like Faf du Plessis.
Prediction: West Indies to win the 1st T20I against South Africa