South Africa head into the World Cup without key pacers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala who were ruled out of the tournament due to injuries. However, the Temba Bavuma-led side seemed to have picked up the pace at the right time. Last month, the Proteas defeated Australia 3-2 after being 2-0 down in a recent ODI series, winning the last three matches by more than 100 runs each time. Proteas will play their World Cup opening match against Sri Lanka at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi and Bavuma is likely to return in time for this clash.

Cricket World Cup factfile on South Africa:

WORLD RANKING

4

MATCH SCHEDULE (IST)

Oct 07: v Sri Lanka at New Delhi (2 PM)

Oct 12: v Australia at Kucknow (2 PM)

Oct 17: v Netherlanda at Dharamsala (2 PM)

Oct 21: v England at Mumbai (2 PM)

Oct 24: v Bangladesh at Mumbai (2 PM)

Oct 27: v Pakistan at Chennai (2 PM)

Nov 01: v New Zealand at Pune (2 PM)

Nov 05: v India at Kolkata (2 PM)

Nov 10: v Afghanistan at Ahmedabad (2 PM)

SQUAD

Temba Bavuma (captain), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.

LEADING RUN-SCORER IN SQUAD

Quinton de Kock: 6,176 runs; highest score 178; average 44.75; Hundreds 17; Fifties 30

LEADING WICKET-TAKER IN SQUAD

Kagiso Rabada: 144 wickets; best bowling 6-16; average 27.75

PREVIOUS WORLD CUP APPEARANCES

1975: Banned from international cricket

1979: Banned from international cricket

1983: Banned from international cricket

1987: Banned from international cricket

1992: Semi-finals

1996: Quarter-finals

1999: Semi-finals

2003: Group stage

2007: Semi-finals

2011: Quarter-finals

2015: Semi-finals

2019: Group stage

WHAT THE CAPTAIN SAYS

“The confidence that we have gained from this series is something which we can’t lose. I was talking to the bowlers and they said it was the best kind of preparation that we can have, bowling in pressure situations.”

Temba Bavuma after his team defeated Australia 3-2