Another interesting match ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. World Test Championship (WTC) champions South Africa have proven that they also have the potential to be the best team in the Twenty20 format.

The addition of experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has significantly enhanced their batting intensity. An in-form Quinton de Kock can single-handedly take a game away from his opponents, as he did in the last game.

The West Indies and South Africa bowlers will be under pressure. On January 29, most bowlers are very expensive, especially Caribbean bowlers. In a potentially high-scoring match, just a few economical turns can be enough to turn the tide of the game. But in this game, the focus will also be mainly on the batsmen.

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SA vs WI 3rd T20I preview:

Date and location:

Sandton Wanderers Stadium will host the third T20I of the series between South Africa and West Indies on Saturday, January 31.

SA vs WI teams:

South Africa: Aiden Markram (centre), Corbin Bose, Dewald Blevis, Quinton de Kock, Ruben Herman, Marco Janssen, George Lind, Keshav Maharaj, Quina Mafaka, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Notje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs.

West Indies: Shai Hope (C and WK), Johnson Charles (WK), Alik Attanaz, Akeem August, Roston Chase, Matthew Ford, Jason Holder, Akhil Hussain, Brandon King, Gurdakshi Mothy, Rovman Powell, Sherfan Rutherford, Jayden Sears, Romario Shepherd, Shamal Joseph and Shamal Springer.

SA vs WI possible lineups:

With the ICC T20I World Cup 2026 approaching, the three-match T20I series becomes the perfect stage for both teams to prepare. In this bilateral series so far, many batsmen have shown their talents as T20 players and they are bound to play in the T20 World Cup. Both teams have multiple explosive hitters who can score game-winning runs. The issue they are dealing with is bowling performance.

West Indies may have lost the second match but their batsmen did their job with precision. Batting first, the Tour team managed 221/4 in the 20-over limit, which is pretty good. A score of over two hundred is good enough for any game in this format. Simron Hetmyer, Sherfan Rutherford and Brandon King proved why the West Indies cricket selectors have shown faith in them. West Indies could not have reached a total of 221 without explosive batting from several batsmen.

South Africa easily equaled West Indies Cricket Team’s huge total. The home team won the second match of the series by 7 wickets. A century from Quinton de Kock soon helped the team fly closer to the landmark. Ryan Rickelton did most of the rest. Like West Indies, South Africa will also put some effort into polishing their bowling department according to the requirements of the format.

South Africa’s likely starting XI – Aiden Markram (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Ryan Rickton, Dewald Blevis, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Janssen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Notje and Quina Mafaka.

Possible starting XI for West Indies: Brandon King, Shay Hope (C/C), Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfin Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Jayden Sears and Akair Hussain.

Key battles:

Shimron Hetmyer vs Keshav Maharaj:

Shimron Hetmyer, one of the most prolific batsmen of the T20s in the world, scored 75 runs at 178.57 in his last match. The veteran South African spinner halted the batsmen’s momentum. On a pitch that lends itself to batting, the West Indies batsman could be more dangerous if he takes off early in the innings. Maharaj was one of the few bowlers to bowl with precision in the second T20I of the series. The match between these two cricketers will be very interesting in the 3rd T20I against West Indies in South Africa on January 31.

Sherfan Rutherford VS Kagiso Rabada:

Both are among the best in the world in their respective divisions. Kagiso Rabada will be responsible for leading the South Africa bowling team during the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. The captain will show his trust as the team searches for crucial wickets. Rutherford scored an unbeaten 57 runs in the last game. Rabada bowled well but failed to take a wicket in the middle of the first innings. In the third match, the pacers will be looking to inflict more damage on the West Indies batting line-up.

Quinton DeKock vs. Jayden Sears:

Jayden Sears was the most expensive bowler for the West Indies cricket team when they last played against South Africa. Many can argue that Sears vs. Quinton DeKock will be a close battle. But the toughest stages can bring out the best in a cricketer. The Caribbean pacer has skill; he needs to prove it in games. A wicket for the batsman who scored a match-winning hit will help restore his confidence which may have been at a low level after the previous night.

SA vs WI 3rd T20I Key Players:

South Africa – Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada.

West Indies – Brandon King, Shay Hope, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jayden Sears and Akair Hussain.

SA vs WI 3rd T20I – Free Live and TV Details:

Indian TV broadcast:

Star Sports Network will broadcast the third T20I match between South Africa and West Indies across India.

Live online streaming in India:

Fans can watch the match live on the JioHotstar app and website. Viewers require an active subscription to access the stream.

Competition date:

The third T20I match will be played on Saturday, January 31.

Place:

The third T20I match will be played at the Wanderers Stadium, Sandton.

How to watch SA vs WI match on TV:

The live broadcast of IND vs NZ 5th T20I will be telecast on Star Sports Network channel.

How to watch online on mobile and the web:

With a valid subscription, the live broadcast can be accessed through the JioHotstar app and official website.

SA vs WI 3rd T20I Weather Forecast – Centurion:

There is a high chance of cloudy skies throughout the day on January 31st. The match is expected to start at 9 pm IST. At night, thick clouds cover the entire city. Rain is also forecast during the game. According to the weather forecast, rain will spoil the party.

SA vs WI pitch report at Rangers Stadium:

The pitch at the Wanderers Stadium is a batting friendly surface and batsmen will enjoy scoring runs here. Therefore, the third game could produce a string of fours and sixes, just like the previous game of the ongoing game. Spinners can help their respective teams slow down the runs of the opposing team. Fast bowlers can try a change of pace to help their team. 283 runs is the highest score recorded in T20Is on this ground by India. In 2015, West Indies scored 236/6, which was the third-highest total at the Wanderers Stadium.

SA vs WI head to head record:

SA vs WI head-to-head results: key statistics

According to overall statistics, South Africa and West Indies have faced each other 28 times in T20 matches. The two teams have the same number of wins after 28 meetings. Both teams have 14 wins; there have been no draws or matches without a result. South Africa have shown their dominance over the wind in recent times.

SA vs WI head to head records – results of the last 5 matches:

SA vs WI match prediction:

No team wants to see themselves defeated ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Both teams have a proven set of swashbuckling hitters in their respective lineups. The last game set the example of power hitting. A venue that has produced many high-scoring games could produce another great game in this series.

SA vs. WI – Conclusion:

If the weather allows the game to go ahead as planned, spectators can expect to see consecutive strong shots from both sets of batsmen. Spin or change of gear is crucial for the respective teams. It’s hard to predict who will win, but South Africa have an advantage as they have won the first two games of the series.

Read more: SA vs WI Match Prediction: Who will win the 3rd T20I? South Africa West Indies Tour 2026