CWC'19: Kiwis to clash South Africa, all eyes on these 5 players
New Zealand will look to continue their winning streak in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup when they play against South Africa at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 19.
New Zealand are 'invincible' in the tournament as they won their first three clashes and the last match against India was called off due to rain. Kiwis are currently at the second position in the teams' standing with seven points in four matches.
Proteas started worst in the World Cup as they lost their first three matches and were only able to win the last against Afghanistan.
They playing with experienced players could only manage to bag three points in the five matches they played. The team have to pull up their socks to make their way to semi-finals.
Here are the players to watch out for in the match between New Zealand and South Africa:
Quinton de Kock
South Africa's wicket-keeper batsman de Kock strengthens the top-order and provides speedy start to the inning. The left-hander has the ability to adapt according to the situation. In South Africa's first World Cup match, de Kock scored a well-compiled 74-ball 68 runs, including six boundaries and two sixes in an attempt to single-handedly save the sinking Proteas. De Kock has scored 176 runs in the ongoing tournament.
Martin Guptill
Guptill was the architect behind New Zealand's best-ever World Cup campaign in 2015, guiding the team to its maiden tournament final, which they eventually lost to Australia by seven wickets. The New Zealand opener topped the tournament charts with 547 runs and scored unbeaten 237, the highest individual score at the World Cup, in the quarter-finals against West Indies. He registered three centuries, 138 against Sri Lanka, and 117 not out and 118 against Bangladesh earlier this year. The right-hander contributed an unbeaten 73 against Sri Lanka in New Zealand's first World Cup 2019 match.
Imran Tahir
The 40-year-old is the oldest player in the World Cup but has exhibited the energy of a twenty-year-old. The leg-spinner, who is popular for his long run celebration after taking a wicket, is in great form as he grabbed eight wickets in the five matches so far. Tahir is well known for his unreadable 'googly' and variation in the bowling.
Ross Taylor
Taylor is the seventh Kiwi cricketer to play in his fourth and last World Cup. New Zealand depends mostly on Taylor if their top-order fails to give a good kick-start. The 35-year-old hit 54, 90 and 137 against Sri Lanka early this year. During India tour of New Zealand, Taylor smashed 93 in the third match. The right-hander scored 71 against India in a World Cup warm-up match. Taylor played a knock of 82 runs against Bangladesh in a World Cup match.
Kagiso Rabada
The right-arm fast bowler possesses the skills of bowling both in-swingers and out-swingers. The 24-year old is also known for his toe-breaking yorkers in the death overs. In South Africa's World Cup match against India, Rabada returned with the figures of 2/39 and has five wickets under his name in the tournament. Rabada finished at the second position in the highest wicket-takers' list in the recently concluded Indian Premier League.
-ANI
