ENG vs SA Dream11 prediction: 3 differentials you can pick in today’s World Cup 2023 match – Oct 21, 2023
England take on South Africa in the 20th match of the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup on Saturday, October 21, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Both sides enter this game on the back of defeats to teams they were expected to steamroll. Afghanistan strolled to a win over England, beating them by 69 runs, while the Netherlands registered a remarkable comeback to beat South Africa by 38 runs in a rain-curtailed match.
This is a must-win game for England as they've already lost two out of their first three matches, while the Proteas will quickly look to regain the momentum they lost after their defeat to the Dutch.
On what should be an excellent Wankhede surface, expect a blockbuster encounter. Let's now look at three Dream11 differentials you can select for your teams.
#3 Temba Bavuma (SA)
The South African skipper hasn't gotten going at the World Cup so far, with his scratchy knock against Australia his best. One would expect a technically solid player like Bavuma to be the one standing up in situations like the one the Proteas faced against the Netherlands, but unfortunately for them, he fell to the spin of Roelof van der Merwe.
On a good batting track at the Wankhede, Bavuma will want to lead from the front and deliver for his side. He has a solid record against England in ODIs, averaging 54.7 against them and scoring at a strike rate over 100. A quality opener with low ownership in conducive batting conditions, Bavuma is an excellent Dream11 differential.
#2 David Miller (SA)
South Africa's powerhouse middle-order batter David Miller couldn't bail them out of trouble against the Netherlands, and his rather deep batting position puts many Dream11 players off of selecting him.
However, this is ODI cricket, and against a quality bowling attack like that of England, wickets will fall, and Miller should get more than enough time to leave his mark on the match. He has a good track record of doing so against England, and they just might be his favorite opponents.
In ODIs, Miller has scored 367 runs against England in nine innings, at a mind-blowing average of 91.8 and strike rate of 125.7. At a venue tailor-made for big hitters like him, Miller should have a good game and is a valuable Dream11 differential.
#1 Ben Stokes (ENG)
Ben Stokes' potential return to the playing XI is the big news for England coming into this match. Their star all-rounder is set to replace Harry Brook in the England playing XI and will want to help his side brush off their upsetting defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi last Sunday.
Stokes is a batter capable of putting up some really big scores like he showed when he made 182 against New Zealand last month. Stokes holds a great head-to-head record against the Proteas, scoring 361 runs against them at an average of 40.1 and a strike rate of 115.
His return to the team may not be anticipated by many, and even if he features in the playing XI, his ownership isn't likely to be too high. He could be a very powerful Dream11 differential.