Time for turnaround

South Africa face a revitalised West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday in a match they need to win to breathe life back into their faltering World Cup campaign.

The Proteas, who have yet to win a World Cup, were outplayed by defending champions India, losing by 130 runs at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last Sunday.

That left AB de Villiers's team with just two points after two games and trailing India, the West Indies and Ireland in Pool B.

While the South Africans mastered the West Indies 4-1 in a home series last month they confront a Caribbean team full of confidence after their 73-run win over Zimbabwe.

Opener Chris Gayle bounced back to his destructive best with the highest ever individual World Cup score of 215 containing a record-equalling 16 sixes, while Marlon Samuels scored an unbeaten 133 in an all-time ODI record stand of 372.

The South Africans cannot afford to lose to the West Indies as they would then have to beat Ireland, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates to ensure they finish near the top of their pool and secure an advantageous quarterfinal draw.

South Africa have won three of their five World Cup encounters with the West Indies, including the last two in Delhi and Grenada.

The Proteas will also have to show that they are genuine World Cup contenders after reaching the semifinals of the 1992, 1999 and 2007 tournaments.

A big part of South Africa's hopes rests with premier paceman Dale Steyn's contest with record-breaking West Indian opener Gayle.

Steyn has only taken two for 119 in his two matches so far at the tournament from a win over Zimbabwe and the crushing loss to India.

Gayle has roared back to form with his sensational 215 off 147 balls against Zimbabwe in Canberra on Tuesday, the first-ever double century at a World Cup

5 Facts

• Since winning a semifinal at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, West Indies have lost 16 one-day internationals out of 18 against South Africa, winning just once with one tie
• AB de Villiers has faced 29 balls from Jason Holder in ODIs and scored 62 runs without being dismissed, hitting five fours and six sixes
• De Villiers averages 66.1 in ODIs against West Indies, the highest average of any batsman against a team, minimum 1,000 runs scored
• De Villiers and Hashim Amla have batted together four times against West Indies, putting on an aggregate of 466 runs
• Chris Gayle (79 per cent) has hit the highest percentage of runs in front of square since January 2014 in ODIs between Test-playing nations, minimum 200 balls faced