New Zealand chose to bat v South Africa
Keshav Maharaj is the only South African to have played in that match and stands in as captain for Aiden Markram. Jason Smith and George Linde were part of the squad but on the bench and took their places as two of the more senior members in the side today.
New Zealand have three members of the team that beat South Africa in this XI and all eyes will be on the offspinner Cole McConchie. He bowled just one over in the semi-final but it proved game-changing and rocked South Africa’s left-handed-laden top-order. There’s a bit more of the same this time with two left-handers – Jordan Hermann and Tony de Zorzi – in the top three. Jordan’s brother, Rubin, is also in the XI which makes it the first time siblings have played for South Africa since Morne and Albie Morkel.
Before McConchie gets ball in hand, South Africa will bowl to a New Zealand line-up filled with experience at the top. Tom Latham joined Devon Conway in the opening berth before a new-look middle order headlined by big-hitting Bevan Jacobs.
New Zealand: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Tom Latham (wk), 3 Tim Robinson, 4 Nick Kelly, 5 Bevon Jacobs, 6 Mitchell Santner (capt), 7 Jimmy Neesham, 8 Cole McConchie, 9 Zak Foulkes, 10 Kyle Jamieson, 11 Ben Sears
South Africa: 1 Connor Esterhuizen (wk), 2 Jordan Hermann, 3 Tony de Zorzi, 4 Rubin Hermann, 5 Jason Smith, 6 Dian Forrester, 7 George Linde, 8 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Keshav Maharaj (capt), 10 Nqobani Mokoena, 11 Ottneil Baartman
