England V South Africa: First Men’s T20 International – Live

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Evening everyone and invited to yet different world cricket series. Yes, conscionable 3 days aft England’s biggest triumph ever successful 1 format, they’re switching to a different 1 – 20 overs a broadside alternatively than 50. The shot will still beryllium white, but we tin opportunity pinch immoderate certainty that England will not hit South Africa by 342 runs again. In fact, they’d astir apt settee for a triumph by nan barest of margins.

Are England favourites? The ICC’s T20 squad rankings would opportunity so: they person England 3rd successful nan world (behind only India and Australia), pinch South Africa 5th (behind New Zealand). But South Africa are connected nan up and person conscionable seen disconnected England successful an ODI series. That 342-run thrashing wasn’t conscionable nan biggest triumph ever, it was a Pyrrhic 1 too. And South Africa’s firepower, already formidable, whitethorn good beryllium boosted coming by nan return of David Miller.

England are resting their ODI openers, Jamie Smith and nan patently exhausted Ben Duckett, truthful it’s backmost to nan early pinch Phil Salt and Jos Buttler. They could do pinch immoderate runs and immoderate thoroughfare contented from their young captain, Harry Brook, who whitethorn moreover person been persuaded that he needs 5 due bowlers. He tin get location painlessly now that nan selectors person yet recalled Sam Curran, who, if he brings his shape from The Hundred and nan Blast, should fortify some England’s batting and their bowling, not to mention their expertise to make you laughter pinch a slower ball.

Play starts astatine 6.30 BST, arsenic agelong arsenic the showers clasp off. All being good I’ll beryllium backmost soon pinch news of nan flip and nan teams.