South Africa won the toss and chose to bat against the West Indies in the World Cup Pool B game at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
It is a crucial game for the Proteas after they lost by 130 runs to India, while the West Indies are confident following their 73-run win over Zimbabwe.
That has left AB de Villiers' team with just two points after two games and trailing India, the West Indies and Ireland in Pool B.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn came into the West Indian side for Nikita Miller after passing a fitness test on a back complaint.
JP Duminy failed a late fitness test after sustaining a side strain, and joined Vernon Philander (hamstring strain) on the sidelines for South Africa.
Rilee Rossouw, Farhaan Behardien and Kyle Abbott were named in the side for Duminy, Philander and Wayne Parnell.
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 their thumping 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.
Teams:
South Africa: Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Rilee Rossouw, AB de Villiers (capt), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Dale Steyn, Kyle Abbott, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir.
West Indies: Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Marlon Samuels, Denesh Ramdin, Lendl Simmons, Jonathan Carter, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (capt), Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn.
Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG) Steve Davis (AUS)
TV umpire: Ranmore Martinesz (SRI)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)
Weather: Sunny. Maximum temperature 27 Celsius
Source: AFP