Despite some erratic form during the Pool stages of the 2015 World Cup, South Africa have safely negotiated their way through to the knockout phase of the competition. However, a win on Thursday at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington will ensure that they finish second in the Pool to India.
Although the winners of the Pakistan against Ireland match on Sunday could still tie them on eight points, the Proteas have a much better run rate than either of their rivals.
The prize for finishing second in Pool B, will almost certainly be a quarter-final against the 1996 winners Sri Lanka, An unthinkable defeat to the UAE at the “Cake Tin” would almost certainly condemn them to a clash with their great rivals, and often World Cup nemesis Australia.
On the only previous occasion that South Africa and the UAE have met in an ODI, was back in 1996 during the World Cup. The match in Rawalpindi ended with the Proteas winning by the huge margin of 169 runs, on their way to the quarter finals. The UAE at their first World Cup, were eliminated at the group stage.
South Africa’s batting has at times looked unstoppable, as they posted over 400 runs in successive games against the West Indies and Ireland, and they have three of the top ten run makers in the tournament, all of whom have made more than 270 runs already; AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis.
However, they have at times also looked vulnerable when chasing a total against more experience attacks, and that has led to their two defeats, against India and Pakistan.
The UAE pushed fellow minnows Ireland and Zimbabwe close in their first two games, but were soundly beaten when they came up against stiffer opposition in India and Pakistan.