Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis decided to bowl first in their do-or-die World Cup clash with Afghanistan in Cardiff on Saturday.

South Africa go into the match unchanged from their rained-out match against the West Indies in Southampton. It was hoped that Lungi Ngidi may be ready to return after a hamstring niggle, but the fast bowler has not recovered and Beuran Hendricks remains in the team.

South Africa need to win the match to keep their faint semi-final hopes alive after starting the tournament off with three defeats and a no-result.

Proteas: Quinton de Kock (wk), Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis (c), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Morris, Kagiso Rabada, Beuran Hendricks, Imran Tahir.

Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Noor Ali Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Gulbadin Naib (c), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Hamid Hassan.

Photo: Steve Bardens/Getty Images