After all the questions, finally South Africa play

Match facts

February 24, Delhi
Start time 14:30 local time (09:00 GMT)

Big Picture

It's been exactly a month since South Africa last played an ODI and almost every minute of the days spent between their victory over India in Centurion and this moment has been consumed with how they will approach the World Cup. Questions have floated in the air about every possible aspect of South Africa's squad and strategy. Even after they have been answered, they've managed to find a mouth-to-mouth way of being resuscitated and asked again, in a slightly different way.

How many spinners will they play? Will the middle order prove strong enough? Can the quicks do the job in the subcontinent? How much is expected of a squad with 11 World Cup debutants? Will they choke again?

After all that, it's no wonder that South Africa are itching to get onto the field as soon as possible so that the cricket can start and the questions can end, or at least change. Even though South Africa have talked down the pressure, the truth is it has gone nowhere. After five failed attempts to raise the World Cup with five squads more than capable of raising it, patience is running out. The match against the West Indies on Thursday is not so much about the opposition as it is about starting the campaign with the kind of intent that will tell their critics and fans how serious they are about doing the business this time.

For West Indies, it's pressure of a completely different kind. They have slipped below Bangladesh in the ODI rankings to ninth spot and this World Cup presents them with an opportunity to show that they can still be counted among the top nations in international cricket. They've had difficult series in the recent past, against Sri Lanka and South Africa, and give the impression of a side that may fire now and again but struggles to find consistency in prolonged series.

They're aiming for the quarter-finals and the format could well see them get there, but they will have to achieve at least three "onces" to achieve that. In personnel they have the capability, so it's the mindset they'll have to get right. Their match against South Africa is being touted as the first marquee one of the tournament, although England against the Netherlands rubbished that assumption. To make an impact in this one could serve them well in the coming weeks.

Form guide

(Most recent first for the last five completed games):
South Africa: WWLLW
West Indies: LLLLL

Pitch and Conditions

The Kotla has not hosted an international since December 2009 when a dangerous pitch forced the ODI between India and Sri Lanka to be abandoned after 23 overs. It has since been re-laid under the supervision of the BCCI ground and wickets committee chairman Venkat Sundaram and ICC pitch consultant Andy Atkinson, who have said it will provide an even contest between bat and ball. There was a hint of green on the surface which could favour seam and bounce. The outfield is lush but with Delhi's warm, clear afternoons and chilly nights, dew is likely to be a factor here.

Watch out for

The last 12 months in one-day cricket have been raining runs for Hashim Amla. He has scored 1308 runs in 20 matches at an average of 72.66, but beyond the numbers his style with the bat has done the talking. Amla has gone from being a careful customer to a flamboyant flasher and has been seen going wild in the first ten overs of an innings. When he gets it right, which is most of the time, a big score is one the cards.

Darren Bravo has been talked up as the next Brian Lara. The younger Bravo has only played 13 matches with a top score of 74 against Canada. He also gave a respectable enough account of himself against South Africa in May last year and if ever there was a stage big enough to show he can fill Lara's boots, this is it.

Team news

South Africa's big conundrum is how many spinners they should use. On a track that shows specks of green, they may feel justified in playing their three-pronged seam attack and two frontline spinners. Given the trust they have shown in Johan Botha and the form of Robin Peterson, it's likely that Imran Tahir will have to wait a little longer to make his international debut.

South Africa (probable): 1 Graeme Smith, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 AB de Villiers, 5 JP Duminy, 6 Faf du Plessis, 7 Robin Peterson, 8 Johan Botha, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe

West Indies are likely to go with only one spinner and it will probably be Sulieman Benn which means Nikita Miller will be sitting on the bench. Their pace attack will be led by Ravi Rampaul and Kemar Roach.

West Indies (probable): 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Kieron Pollard, 8 Darren Sammy, 9 Ravi Rampaul, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Sulieman Benn

Stats and Trivia

Quotes

"Consistency-wise, they haven't been as good as the other teams over a lengthy period of time but they have match-winners and that's why playing them in a one-off game makes them very dangerous."
Graeme Smith on why the West Indies can be a bogey team in a major tournament.

"We want to just see West Indies go out and play like we used to do in the eighties. As long as we go and give our best the fans will be happy."
Darren Sammy on his team wanting to get back that old Caribbean magic.