South Africa unusually unencumbered by expectation

Rarely have South Africa gone to any World Cup so unencumbered by expectation. Even reaching the final of this tournament in Barbados not quite two years ago hasn't raised hopes that Aiden Markram's team could go that one step further and grab the glory this time. It's not as if the cricketminded section of the nation doesn't care. They just don't care as much as they did before South Africa beat Australia in the WTC final at Lord's in June last year. Yes, the format is different. But, finally, for the first time since 1998, an ICC trophy gleams in the cabinet. That's what South Africans care about.

The squad, and what it tells us

Squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Rubin Hermann, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs.

Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs weren't in the original squad, which was released prematurely. Rickelton scored two SA20 centuries around the time of the squad announcement. It took injuries to Donavan Ferreira and Tony de Zorzi for Rickelton and Stubbs to be included, with some unhappiness remaining over Ottneil Baartman's omission.

The road to the World Cup

South Africa have won only 12 of their 32 T20Is since the last World Cup. In Asia, they have won three of nine, and in India, one win in four games.

Last five T20Is: L-L-W-W-L

This is Shukri Conrad's first World Cup since taking on the white-ball portfolios in May last year. Look out for the deployment of someone like Jason Smith not to score a pile of runs, but to make a nugget of them at an outrageous strike rate to shift momentum. Marco Jansen, George Linde and Corbin Bosch are standout allrounders, while Keshav Maharaj and Lungi Ngidi offer clever bowling.

Who can bend a match in 10 balls

Dewald Brevis. He's not quite lived up to the hype yet, but his 53, 75*, and 101 at the business end of the SA20 suggest he's getting there quickly. Scoring a century in a major final, even in a losing cause against an attack featuring Jansen and Nortje, shows his capability.

It's a cutthroat group with South Africa, Afghanistan, and New Zealand all capable of claiming one of the two available Super Eight places. South Africa will have the advantage of acclimatizing to conditions in Ahmedabad before facing their key rivals.

Banana peel fixture: Afghanistan have long since graduated from minnow status and are legitimate contenders. Facing them after what should be a straightforward win against Canada is a potential alarm.

What a good World Cup looks like

Nobody would blink should South Africa reach the semifinals. Even reaching another final wouldn't be heralded as an achievement. Once you've made it that far, the only way upward is to win. What would winning mean? Not a single South African has dared to think about that. Except, perhaps, for Conrad.