Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

SA vs ENG 3rd T20I Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs ENG Centurion Pitch Report | South Africa vs England 3rd T20I Preview Dream11 Prediction | SA vs ENG 3rd T20I Dream11 Prediction Today

If you ever wondered what the perfect entree to a main meal is, this series is it. With the World T20 coming up later this year, this South Africa vs England series has wet the appetite perfectly, with a combined three runs the difference over two games so far.

It’s as if the East London thriller wasn’t enough. Cricket spoiled us all on Valentine’s Day, with Durban conjuring up another thriller, making T20 memorable in a world where so much of it is played. It rained fours and sixes; more so compared to East London, but the equation on the final ball was the same: three to win, one ball.

Indeed, it is only fitting that this series goes to a decider, after England leveled the ledger. Just. After two thrilling games, it remains to be seen what mindset the two sides are in for the final game, with South Africa looking to further prove their credentials in their quest for a maiden global trophy later this year.

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Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Player of the Match Moeen Ali turned the Durban match with one of the most incredible cameos you’ll see.
• Since Moeen returned to the England setup in the third ODI last week, he’s contributed 1/42 (10), 1/22 (4) and 39 (11).
• Eoin Morgan is the top run-scorer among active players in SA-England T20Is (290, SR 136.79).
• Quinton de Kock also turned the Durban game. His 65 (22) saw him achieve the quickest 50 by a South African in T20Is. Indeed, it is rare to see QdK fail in any format these days.
• de Kock averages 44.25 in four T20Is vs England (SR 188.29) and is striking at 259.45 this series. Also, he scored 41 in his only T20I in Centurion to date. Signs pointing to a 40+ score here?
• Temba Bavuma has received some unfair criticism in some parts. He looks to be a great foil for de Kock at the top of the order, with 43 and 31 so far this series (batting past the powerplay both times).
• Jason Roy is the only player to have 100+ runs in this series so far. Scores of 70 (28) and 40 (29) now makes him the second-highest run scorer in SA-England T20Is (8 matches, 280 runs, avg. 35.00, SR 160.00).
• Rassie van der Dussen has 105 runs in two T20Is in Centurion (64 and 41), and is in great form this series; his 43* (26) nearly took SA home last game.
• Also, van der Dussen has crossed 30 seven times in 11 T20I innings.
• Is this the game Jonny Bairstow goes big? He has threatened to do so in the opening two T20Is: 23 (19), 35 (17). Jos Buttler, on the other hand, has not stepped up in such a thrilling series so far (15 and 2).
• Ben Stokes played one of his best T20Is last game. His 47* (30) is now his highest score in the format. He also took a wicket.
• Chris Jordan has the most wickets in SA-England T20Is (12). He has four wickets this series, all at the death, with full, straight bowling. Tom Curran is in a similar boat, with strong capabilities at the death.
• Dwaine Pretorius (1/17 and 25 off 13 balls) will be keen to have another strong outing to lock down his place in the SA team.
• Lungi Ngidi has the most wickets this series (6). Beuran Hendricks took 4/14 on this ground, last year vs Pakistan, while Tabraiz Shamsi took 2/16 vs Sri Lanka a few weeks later.

Other Stats and Facts

• The team batting first has won seven of nine T20Is at Centurion.
• Three of the last four T20Is between these two teams has been decided by single figures.
• South Africa lead England 9-7 in the head-to-head. In South Africa, the Proteas lead 5-2.
• A big game for David Miller. He has made just one score above 25 in his last 14 T20 innings, and averages just 17.83 with the bat in seven T20Is at Centurion.
• The average first innings score in the last five T20Is at Centurion is 167.8. However, one of the matches was a 10-over match, where South Africa scored 126. So, the average run rate is 9.32.

Possible Playing 11

Quinton de Kock said he wishes this match was a dead rubber. That would have given him the chance to test bench strength a little more. However, with the series on the line, Dale Steyn (rested last game) for Bjorn Fortuin could be the only change to the South Africa XI.

South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (c & wk), 2. Temba Bavuma, 3. Rassie van der Dussen, 4. Jon-Jon Smuts, 5. David Miller, 6. Andile Phehlukwayo, 7. Dwaine Pretorius, 8. Beuran Hendricks, 9. Dale Steyn, 10. Tabraiz Shamsi, 11. Lungi Ngidi

Joe Denly has suffered two failures so far in the middle order this series. So, it remains to be seen if he can find success at five or six in T20Is. Also, England could potentially rest Mark Wood.

England: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Jos Buttler (wk), 3. Jonny Bairstow, 4. Eoin Morgan, 5. Joe Denly, 6. Ben Stokes, 7. Moeen Ali, 8. Tom Curran, 9. Chris Jordan, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Mark Wood/Saqib Mahmood

Centurion Pitch Report and Conditions

Centurion is usually a belter for batting in T20Is. In fact, SuperSport Park is second only to the Wanderers for high-scoring (among SA’s regular T20 venues), with a run-rate of 9.32 in the first innings of the past five T20Is.

The forecast is for a warm afternoon with no rain.

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Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

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Match Prediction

This has the makings of a another thriller. Both sides are equally matched, as the first two games showed.

South Africa have won three of their past four games at Centurion. After they should have won in Durban, they could go on to win this one. South Africa to win in another cracker.

Thanks for reading!

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