Watch South Africa vs West Indies ICC World Cup 2011 live streaming free online from Delhi on 24th Feb at 09:00 GMT. Even though South Africa have talked down the pressure, the truth is it has gone nowhere. After five failed attempts to raise the World Cup with five squads more than capable of raising it, patience is running out. The match against the West Indies on Thursday is not so much about the opposition as it is about starting the campaign with the kind of intent that will tell their critics and fans how serious they are about doing the business this time.
For West Indies, it's pressure of a completely different kind. They have slipped below Bangladesh in the ODI rankings to ninth spot and this World Cup presents them with an opportunity to show that they can still be counted among the top nations in international cricket. They've had difficult series in the recent past, against Sri Lanka and South Africa, and give the impression of a side that may fire now and again but struggles to find consistency in prolonged series.
For West Indies, it's pressure of a completely different kind. They have slipped below Bangladesh in the ODI rankings to ninth spot and this World Cup presents them with an opportunity to show that they can still be counted among the top nations in international cricket. They've had difficult series in the recent past, against Sri Lanka and South Africa, and give the impression of a side that may fire now and again but struggles to find consistency in prolonged series.
South Africa vs West Indies
ICC World Cup 2001 7th Match
24th Feb 2011
Delhi