If Pakistan envisage reaching the semi-finals on the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup then they merely should discover their greatest kind and defeat a surging South Africa in Chennai.
Pakistan have proven glimpses of their greatest thus far with two wins from 5 matches, however have but to have all facets of their recreation peaking directly.
They’ll must be firing on all cylinders in opposition to a robust South Africa outfit who’ve been probably the most spectacular groups in India with 4 wins and only one blemish to their identify so far.
That loss was a shock defeat by the hands of the Netherlands and it’s no coincidence that was the one time that the Proteas’ robust batting order did not click on.
With Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller all in good contact, opposition bowlers have struggled to comprise South Africa’s batters and that is what Pakistan’s bevy of quicks might want to do in Chennai.
Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf will probably be key components with the ball for Pakistan and the pair should declare early wickets whereas the ball is swinging or one more high-scoring encounter will probably be possible.
Squads
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
Key gamers
Pakistan – Babar Azam
Whereas the Pakistan captain has contributed 157 runs at an honest common of 31.40 by way of 5 video games on the match, the expectations are so excessive on the No.1 ranked ODI batter on the planet that he want to be scoring much more freely.
The time is now for Babar, who should rise to the event and assist maintain his facet within the hunt for a semi-final berth with a giant rating in opposition to South Africa’s well-balanced bowling line-up.
South Africa – Quinton de Kock
There may be not many batters on the World Cup in higher kind than the South Africa opener and there’s no cause to counsel he will not go large once more in opposition to Pakistan.
De Kock has three centuries to his identify and a match greatest 407 runs at a median of 81.40 by way of 5 matches and is crucial cog in an explosive South Africa high six.