Cricket World Cup 2023 betting tips: Pakistan vs South Africa predictions & odds

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is underway and one of the most anticipated matches is the clash between Pakistan and South Africa on October 27, 2023. Both teams have a rich history of cricket rivalry and have faced each other in 21 ODIs, with South Africa winning 15 and Pakistan winning six. However, Pakistan have the edge in recent encounters, having won four of the last five ODIs against South Africa, including a 2-1 series victory in April 2021. Here are some betting tips, predictions and odds for this exciting match.

Match Preview

Pakistan have started their World Cup campaign on a high note, beating India by 10 wickets in their opening match and then defeating Afghanistan by six wickets in a thrilling chase. They are currently at the top of the points table with four points and a healthy net run rate of +1.582. Pakistan have shown great balance in their batting and bowling departments, with Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali leading the way. They will be confident of maintaining their momentum and securing a place in the semi-finals.

South Africa, on the other hand, have had a mixed start to their World Cup campaign. They lost their first match to England by 229 runs, but bounced back to beat Bangladesh by four wickets in their second match. They are currently at the fourth position in the points table with two points and a net run rate of -0.722. South Africa have a strong bowling attack, led by Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi, but their batting has been inconsistent and vulnerable to collapses. They will need to improve their batting performance and put up a competitive total against Pakistan.

Key Players

Babar Azam: The Pakistan captain is one of the best batsmen in the world and has been in sublime form in the World Cup. He scored an unbeaten 68 off 52 balls against India and then followed it up with a match-winning 94 off 82 balls against Afghanistan. He is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 162 runs at an average of 81 and a strike rate of 97.59. He will be the key player for Pakistan’s batting and will look to anchor the innings and score big runs.

Kagiso Rabada: The South African pace spearhead is one of the most lethal bowlers in the world and has been impressive in the World Cup. He took three wickets for 63 runs against England and then picked up two wickets for 33 runs against Bangladesh. He is currently the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with five wickets at an average of 19.20 and an economy rate of 6.40. He will be the key player for South Africa’s bowling and will look to trouble Pakistan’s batsmen with his pace, bounce and swing.

Betting Odds

According to BetOnline.ag, one of the most trusted gambling sites of the US, Pakistan are the favorites to win this match, with odds of -175 (1.57), while South Africa are the underdogs, with odds of +145 (2.45). This means that if you bet $100 on Pakistan to win, you will get $157 in return, while if you bet $100 on South Africa to win, you will get $245 in return.

Predictions

Based on the current form, head-to-head record and betting odds, we predict that Pakistan will win this match against South Africa. Pakistan have a more balanced and consistent team than South Africa, and have shown great confidence and composure in their previous matches. South Africa have a potent bowling attack, but their batting is unreliable and prone to collapses. We expect Pakistan to bat first and score around 280-300 runs, and then restrict South Africa to around 240-260 runs.

Conclusion

The match between Pakistan and South Africa is expected to be a close and exciting contest, with both teams having some quality players and a lot at stake. However, we believe that Pakistan have an edge over South Africa in terms of form, confidence and balance, and will emerge victorious in this match.