By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Babar Azam elected to bat after winning the toss in hot, sultry conditions in Chennai. The side brought in two changes. While Hasan Ali was unwell and Mohammad Wasim Jr. came in his place, Usama Mir was replaced by Mohammad Nawaz.
As expected, South Africa’s regular skipper Temba Bavuma returned to lead the side. He said that South Africa too would’ve preferred to bat first in these hot conditions. For the Proteas, Tabraiz Shamsi and Lungi Ngidi came in along with Bavuma. Kagiso Rabada wasn’t a part of the playing XI due to a lower back spasm.
The stakes could barely be higher for Pakistan after three consecutive losses have their Cricket World Cup campaign on the brink of collapsing.
A fourth loss on the trot, when they face a surging South Africa, will leave Pakistan needing to win all of their three remaining matches at the tournament while hoping that other results go their way to stand any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.
South Africa have built those four triumphs on scintillating first innings where they passed 300 on each occasion – and reached 428 in the first of those – then held the chasers at more than just arm’s length to secure the convincing wins.
They’ve given themselves breathing room in the top four, sitting two wins better than the fifth-placed Pakistan, with four matches to play. Their net run-rate is significantly better than anyone else’s, which further amplifies their chances of making the semi-finals.
The next week will shape their future at the tournament, and reveal where they’re placed in the hierarchy of potential champions.
Pakistan squad: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi.