T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies v South Africa Tips: Standout bets at 11/5 and 9/2

• West Indies have good H2H record
• Jansen v Hetmyer could be the game
• Ahmedabad pitch for the batters
• De Kock has form against WI
• Bosch at the death
• For Betfair's latest cricket betting odds click here

West Indies v South Africa
Thursday 26 February, 09.30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

West Indies v South Africa T20WC team news

West Indies are flying with a 100% record. And all without using some of their most potent resources. Romario Shepherd, one of the best death bowlers in the world, didn't even bowl in their success against Zimbabwe and has been underused for a while now. Roston Chase, who could be a key middle-order lynchpin and useful spin option, isn't in the team.

Chase might come back for this contest with Matthew Forde missing out but if not it would be hard to argue that Windies are not perfectly balanced. Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein are fine spin all-rounders and they bat all the way down to No 10 as a result. 

Probable West Indies XI: King, Hope, Hetmyer, Powell, Rutherford, Shepherd, Holder, Forde, Hosein, Motie, S Joseph

South Africa are also motoring and are likely to be unchanged from the XI which put down a marker by hammering India last time out.

Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs and David Miller had launched a rescue job with the bat to get them up to 187 in that game before Marco Jansen took down India's left-handers. Jansen keeping the in-form Shimron Hetmyer quiet could be pivotal. Remember that jansen is brilliant against left handers.

Probable SA XI: Markram, De Kock, Rickleton, Brevis, Miller, Stubbs, Jansen, Bosch, Maharaj, Rabada, Ngidi

West Indies v South Africa T20WC pitch report

The Ahmedabad surface was made up of black soild for India-SA but it played well for batters and there perhaps wasn't the grip that India's spinners required. Still, it is worth remembering that red means runs so overs plays will be at the forefront of the mind for two powerful batting units.

South Africa are probably the more reliable because they now know this venue like the back of their hand. They have won four out of four, notching 187 against India, chasing 178 with 17 left against New Zealand, posting another 187 against Afghanistan and setting Canada 213. Sportsbook quote their total match runs at 186.5. 

West Indies v South Africa T20WC match prediction

South Africa are 1.548/15 favourites with West Indies 2.829/5. This is the acid test for the Windies after coming up against opponents one would expect them to perform against. They did outclass England, granted, but Harry Brook's team have been becalmed since the tournament began.

The good news for Windies fans is that their head-to-head record against South Africa is excellent. They have won seven of the ten meetings since 2024. The freedom with which West Indies play might be kryptonite to South Africa's box-ticking.

There is a clear strategy for the contest but it hinges on West Indies batting first on a good wicket. If the flip goes their way then this could well be a choice affair by the break. And from that point West Indies could well be capable of flipping the odds with some quick wickets.

West Indies v South Africa  player tips

Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd have been go-to options for top bat and bowler for West Indies but we have to swerve. Powell's half-century, on most days, would have been enough against Zimbabwe for the win but in a game of failure, that might be as good as it gets. Plus he's been slashed from 10/111.00 to 11/26.50. Shepherd has a terrific win rate but we cannot justify taking odds of 9/25.50 when he wasn't even given the ball last time. 

Instead our follows are on South Africans Quinton de Kock and Corbin Bosch. QDK has two centuries against West Indies in those recent head-to-heads. The price to take is the 11/53.20 that he scores a 50. Bosch, on death duty, is win-rate value on top bowler at an outstanding 9/25.50.

Now read Ed's Ultimate Guide to the T20 World Cup