Pakistan’s chance to hit back
Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Gul take part in fielding practice. – Photo by AFP
DURBAN: Pakistan have a chance to hit back after a trouncing in the Test series when they meet South Africa in the first of two Twenty20 internationals at Kingsmead on Friday.
The tourists were outclassed in the Tests, losing all three matches, but can be reasonably optimistic about their prospects in the shorter forms of the game with the Twenty20 games followed by five one-day internationals.
Only five of South Africa’s current Test players are in the T20 squad — Faf du Plessis, who has been appointed captain in the shortest format, AB de Villiers, Robin Peterson, Rory Kleinveldt and fast bowling discovery Kyle Abbott.
The change of emphasis in South Africa’s approach is underlined by the fact that national coach Gary Kirsten handed the T20 reins to Russell Domingo, his assistant coach, before a three-match series against New Zealand earlier in the season.
South Africa won that series 2-1.
Pakistan will be boosted by the inclusion of the experienced duo of Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik.
Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez takes over as T20 captain, although Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq will resume the leadership for the one-day internationals, which start in Bloemfontein on March 10.
The Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar, who were not part of the Test squad, are others who could add impetus to the T20 side.
Whereas South Africa’s greatest strength is in their number one-ranked Test team, Pakistan are likely to be lifted by the infusion of new players after a morale-sapping experience in the Test series.
“It will be good to have some new players for the one-day games… the new players will come with fresh minds and a positive attitude,” Misbah said after the final Test ended in three days on Sunday.
By contrast, Domingo said South Africa faced a “much tougher” challenge in the T20s, describing his team as “a work in progress” with young players being tried out with a view to the next World T20 in Bangladesh next year.
Squads:
South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers (wkt), Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Chris Morris, Justin Ontong, Robin Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Amin, Zulfiqar Babar, Asad Ali, Junaid Khan.
NO Sohail Tanveer in tT20 pls
guys wish them good luck for tomorrow game
Pakistan Cricket needs to be strengthened at the grass root level. First Class cricket needs to be played on a bit more lively wickets. Same is the case at club level and school level cricket. Furthermore, we need to have international cricket at our home grounds. This will improve our batting quality. Unfortunately, we have not produced a single quality batsman since Inzimam, but we should not blame individual cricketers. I think they have been performing wonderfully against these heavy odds. We need to develop our cricketers from the very beginning on all sorts of wickets. Otherwise, we will always be humiliated like we were in this series.
keep dreaming……
We should atleast win one T20 to avoid tour whitewash. If we could not succeed in t20, then game over for us.
Shoaib Malik, Afridi, and Akmals…. for God sake… is this what you prepared for the T20?
Pakistan has a chance to perform better in T20 as it suits better to not only the players participating but, also overall temperament of the nation. While I wish all the best to Pak team my only concern is, if Pak team won T20 series and somehow won or drew the ODI series, everything that has happened in the test series will be forgotten until the team visits some foreign land that has bouncy wickets and swing friendly climate.
You are Spot on Brother…..i could not agree with you on this….100% correct! thats the problem we as a nation going through over the past 6 decades….Short Term Memory + Short Term Benefit = Long Term Failure
As much as I will like the ‘green-shirts’ to hit back and defeat South Africa in the up coming T20 an ODI series, there seems to be little or no chances of it happening in the real ‘on-the-field’ world of cricket. Common sense reasons for that are simple and straight-forward as following:
1. Their very bad performance in the recently concluded three match test series.
2. Short of mental toughness amongst their players from top to bottom tier.
3. Lack of confidence in all ranks of the touring party in South Africa.
However, I wish Misbah-ul-Haq party as well as Hafeez and company the best of luck.
Why Shoaib Malik?
He is a spent force, good for nothing.
Hope I’m wrong.
Come on dude, he was the hero against India.
NO PROBLEM WE WILL WIN INSHAALLAH BOTH ODIS AND T20S………………………..