So this game, which could have been one of the tastiest clashes of the tournament, pitting two title contenders and featuring several tactical sub-plots, doesn’t really have much riding on it at all.

It could still turn out to be one of the games of the tournament, of course, because that can happen when you put two T20 teams of elite power and skill on the field together. But the title of this section, big picture? There isn’t much of it at all.

He is one of South Africa’s greatest cricketers of all time, but is Kagiso Rabada under some pressure to hold his place in their first XI in T20Is? He has the pace and skills to operate in any phase, but he has had an indifferent time in T20Is of late. Rabada averages 34.55 with the ball since 2025, with an economy rate of 9.82. But in his defence, he has only played nine T20Is in this time, thanks to injury and workload management. The chaotic 20th over against Afghanistan, during which Rabada overstepped twice, shouldn’t put his spot in danger. But he’ll want to pick himself up and remind the world of the impact he can make at his best.

Rachin Ravindra looks like he could be the archetypal modern-day T20 No. 3, but his international record in the format is… not good, with a strike rate of 135.19, an average of 19.09, and just three half-centuries in 40 innings. All that doesn’t take away from Ravindra’s potential – which he has shown in flashes in recent weeks, in a pair of cameos against India – and he could make a big difference on Saturday if he and his fellow left-handers in New Zealand’s line-up could get stuck into Keshav Maharaj’s left-arm spin.

New Zealand played the same XI against both Afghanistan and UAE, and they seem unlikely to make any changes unless a used pitch prompts them to pick an extra spinner in Ish Sodhi.

New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips,  Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman,  Mitchell Santner (capt),  James Neesham,  Matt Henry,  Lockie Ferguson,  Jacob Duffy

South Africa replaced seam-bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch with spin-bowling allrounder George Linde when they played Afghanistan. They might, however, worry about having two left-arm fingerspinners in Linde and Maharaj against a New Zealand side with four left-hand batters in their likely top eight. Bosch, therefore, could come back in.

South Africa (probable):  Aiden Markram (capt),  Quinton de Kock (wk),  Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis,  David Miller,  Tristan Stubbs,  Marco Jansen,  Corbin Bosch/George Linde,  Kagiso Rabada,  Keshav Maharaj,  Lungi Ngidi

[Cricinfo]

Both of England’s remaining group-stage opponents pose an element of the unknown, a point noted at the start of the tournament by Mark Watt, Scotland’s veteran left-arm spinner making his fifth World Cup appearance. “Quite funny thinking about the England analysis team trying to find club cricket games of some of our youngsters,” Watt said. “We’ve all had a laugh about that.” England have never played Italy and, in their only previous T20I meeting with Scotland – at the last World Cup in Barbados – George Munsey and Michael Jones staged an unbroken opening partnership worth 90 before the match was washed out.

Only Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid remain from the bowling line-up which took the field that day, the latter going at 13 runs an over from his two overs. And while those figures are reminiscent of Rashid’s three wicketless overs at 14.00 against Nepal, he turned that around against West Indies, where he was easily the pick of England’s bowlers in a losing cause on a turning Wankhede pitch.

If they trip up in their first outing in Kolkata, where Scotland have already played their first two matches of this World Cup, England’s last group encounter with Italy becomes crucial. So too does Scotland’s final clash with Nepal. On paper, England’s progression to the Super 8s should be assured, but they absolutely cannot take their Associate opponents lightly.

So far, this campaign has shown England need more consistency from their enviably deep batting line-up. Half-centuries to Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook still required the back-up of Will Jacks’ 18-ball 39 against Nepal and, even then, it took Sam Curran’s sublime death bowling to let them escape with victory. Against West Indies, it was Curran who ran out of partners and captain Brook believed his charges were too careful chasing. For Scotland, they need more than just the few plucky moments they produced in a 35-run loss to West Indies. They need everything to fire, as it did against Italy, and then some, to be in with a shot.

Three consecutive single-figure scores across this tournament and the Sri Lanka series that preceded it leave Tom Banton searching for runs, particularly amid calls for Harry Brook to leapfrog him into the No. 4 spot. An unbeaten 54 in a Player-of-the-Match performance against Sri Lanka in the second of their three games in the lead-up suggests the touch is there. Now he must rediscover it at a time when his side needs it most.

Having managed just one run against West Indies as Munsey too departed cheaply after a promising start, Michael Jones further highlighted the importance of Scotland’s opening duo with a 30-ball 37 in a 126-run stand – Munsey struck 84 off 54 – that set up victory over Italy. With the quality of the opposition now magnified, it is imperative that he supports his partner with an even bigger contribution to a union that could prove critical in getting enough runs on the board against England.

England confirmed an unchanged XI on the eve of the match, with Jamie Overton preferred to Luke Wood in the attack.

England:  Phil Salt,  Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell,  Tom Banton, Harry Brook (capt),  Sam Curran,  Will Jacks,  Liam Dawson,  Jamie Overton,  Jofra Archer,  Adil Rashid

Brad Wheal, who replaced Safyaan Sharif for the win over Italy, said Scotland had not made any decisions on their side.

Scotland: (possible) George Munsey,  Michael Jones,  Brandon McMullen,  Richie Berrington (capt),  Tom Bruce, Michael Leask, Matthew Cross (wk),  Mark Watt,  Oliver Davidson,  Brad Wheal,  Brad Currie

[Cricinfo]