Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Pitch Report & Weather Forecast for ENG vs SA ICC ODI World Cup 2023 Match 20

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Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will stage a high-voltage match as it's first match of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 on Saturday (October 21) when defending champions England take on South Africa in match 20.

Both England and South Africa will be desperate to get back among the win column after upset defeats to Afghanistan and Netherlands respectively in their recent outings at the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

Jos Buttler-led England succumbed to the spin of Afghanistan, falling 69 runs short of the 285-run target at the Arun Jaitely Stadium in Delhi, while Temba Bavuma's South Africa choked against Netherlands, falling short by 38 runs in a truncated match at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.

While weather has not affected England's three matches so far, the recent match of the Proteas was curtailed after rain delayed the start in Dharamsala. The two teams have played on different surfaces with South Africa scoring the highest total in Delhi and England in Dharamsala.

The venue in Mumbai has produced some high-scoring games in limited overs format. So, how will the pitch conditions be for ENG vs SA clash in Mumbai? Will rain have an impact? Will dew be a factor in the match?

With some parts of India witnessing showers due to the retreating monsoon, here is a look at the Mumbai weather forecast and the Wankhede Stadium pitch report for ENG vs SA 20th ICC World Cup match:

Mumbai Weather Forecast on October 21

There is no threat of rain in Mumbai on Saturday (October 21) or in the lead up to match. It is expected to be a humid day with a lot of sunshine. The maximum temperature is expected to be 34° C in the noon, reducing to 30° C at the closing stages, according to AccuWeather.

Weather Channel, on the other hand, forecasts a partly cloudy day, but there is no chance of rain with maximum temperature touching 34° C in the noon, reducing to 31° C at the closing stages. So, weather is unlikely to play spoilsport in the ENG vs SA match in Mumbai.

Like many other venues in the 2023 World Cup, dew could be a factor in the latter stages of the second innings in Mumbai, meaning the team chasing may have an extra advantage. But, how is the Mumbai wicket going to play?

Wankhede Stadium pitch report for ENG vs SA World Cup match

Four red soil pitches of the 13 strips at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai have been selected by the ICC for the five World Cup 2023 matches, including the semifinal. The venue has been known to provide some assistance for quicks, but has mostly been batting friendly.

The average first innings score in the 23 ODIs hosted by the venue is 245. The most recent ODI earlier this year, however, saw India bundle out Australia for 188 and chase down the target with 10.1 overs to spare on a wicket that helped the quick bowlers.

Four of the last five matches at the venue have ended in favour of the team chasing and the one match that team batting first won was when South Africa posted a mammoth 438, the highest ODI total at the venue.

Over the years, it's been an almost even share of wins for teams chasing and batting first. The captains will be tempted to chase especially with the dew factor in mind. However, with the pace bowlers expected to find some joy under lights, the team may be tempted to get runs on the board.