This is one team which has fallen short in the important matches as far as their World Cup history is concerned. They have performed well in the bilateral series but something has gone a miss in the biggest event of the fifty over format. There is no question about lack of talent as this country has produced champion cricketers year after year. It is because of mental block that South Africa is not able to count on their talent. However, the year 2015 could change everything for them. The premier ODI side in the world, South Africa has all the useful resources available in all departments, be it young and old. Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and David Miller have performed on the consistent line. Amla and de Villiers in particular have taken the attack to opposition in the ODIs. These two players have hit lot of centuries and that too at an alarming strike rate. The best part about them is that they can easily take pressure away from their partner at the other end. Apart from this, their defense is of the highest quality which is almost impossible to breech. JP Duminy is one player who deserves special mention for his batting, bowling and fielding. He can hold the middle order together with his intelligent batting while his bowling has produce positive results. The left hand batsman is South Africa’s impactful player in the one- day internationals. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, the two quality fast bowlers will relish the Aussie and New Zealand pitches. The fast and bouncy nature of the tracks will help them in taking wickets. Quinton de Kock, the wicket-keeper batsman found batting in Australia tough in the November tour but came good with a century in the final match. Currently injured, he has been named in the 15 member World Cup squad and should play a major role in the knockout stages. As ever the spin bowling department is a worry – Imran Tahir can be brilliant but more often is wastefully expensive in the shorter formats of the game.

Players to watch out for

Hashim Amla

The right hand batsman is the back bone of the South African batting order. No matter how many wickets have fallen in a game, Amla can guide his team to victory with his delightful batting. He has a knack of scoring centuries against the big teams and his recent performances have been superb. His drives, cuts and pulls has class written all over them and South Africa needs him in top groove. More than six thousand runs and 23 centuries (strike rate 88.25) in the ODIs is a mark of a great player.

AB de Villiers

The captain of the ship is the most complete player of his era across all the formats. If South Africa need runs at an asking rate of even 15 per over in the last part of the inning, AB de Villiers can achieve this without any fuss. He has made batting look simple in the last one decade with his unique style. Few drive the ball as sweetly as he does and fewer possess the silkily snappy footwork required to put spinners in their place. He has scored 7210 runs (18 centuries) at a strike rate of 95.95 in ODIs.

Dale Steyn

He needs no introduction. Steyn is the most fearful fast bowler across the globe. The trouble, for the rivals, is that he has that never ending tricks up his sleeves. Sheer pace is one thing and immaculate line and length is another. These two qualities tipped with aggression is distinctly another. He has caused never ending damage to the minds of the batters with his bowling. The regularity with which he moves the ball away from right and left-handers is beyond any explanation. He has taken 145 wickets in 93 ODIs.

World Cup history

The most powerful team of world cricket has not won even a single World Cup title. They have come close but things have not gone as per plans for them. South Africa was reinstated in cricket in the World Cup 1992 after serving 20-year ban for their discrimination policies. They have made it to the semis in 1992, 1999 and 2007. Fifth place finish in 1996, eighth spot in 2003 and quarterfinal exit in 2011.

Inspirational Hero

South Africa has been a land of talismanic cricketers since the inception of cricket in this part of the world. Jacques Kallis, the greatest all-round cricketer of all time, has scored 1148 runs and took 21 wickets in 36 matches of his World Cup career. Proteas should learn about consistency from him. He has been an inspirational hero for the entire world.

Performance in World Cup

Matches              47           Win        31

Loss       14           Tie          02

NR          -              Winning %           65.95

Squad

AB de Villiers (C), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir.

Prediction