This clash between two teams in green pits one side riding the crest of a six-hitting wave with another who have just suffered the ignominy of a first defeat to Afghanistan. Pakistan and South Africa may both have begun the tournament with two straight wins, but the similarities end there. Victory at Chepauk will put South Africa one foot in the semi-final, while leaving only a Pakistani fingernail clinging on to the precipice.
South Africa’s top six have blown the opposition away when batting first. In the final ten overs of innings, they’re racking up the kind of scores that teams make in a T20 game. If Heinrich Klaasen doesn’t get you, Aiden Markram will. And if he has an off day, then you have David Miller to deal with. And this is after Quinton de Kock – three centuries to his name already – has pulverised your new-ball bowlers.
Reeza Hendricks stepped in for the ill Temba Bavuma, the captain, and made a breezy half-century against England. Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen all have 10 wickets, while the likely return of Lungi Ngidi will give a bit more control at the death. If anything, that’s been the chink in South Africa’s armour. They allowed the Netherlands to go from 140-7 to 245, and the tail has wagged for England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka too.
Pakistan’s bowlers, without the control that Naseem Shah had offered before breaking down ahead of the tournament, have been insipid in comparison. Shaheen Shah Afridi has shown signs of getting back to rhythm, but Haris Rauf has gone at nearly seven runs an over. Hasan Ali, the most economical pace bowler so far for Pakistan, will miss out because of fever, while the spin duo of Shadab Khan and Usama Mir have been taken to the cleaners.
If Pakistan needed any more distractions before such a big game, their own board provided it with a bizarre statement asking fans to get behind the team, while appearing to point an accusatory finger at Babar Azam, the captain, and Inzamam-ul-Haq, the chief selector, for the ineffectual displays so far.
The ease with which Afghanistan romped to a target of 283 set the alarm bells ringing back home, but if Babar needs a straw to cling to, here it is. Pakistan have won the last two World Cup games between the two – at Auckland in 2015 and at Lord’s in 2019 – and you have to go back to the days of Hansie Cronje and Bob Woolmer for South Africa’s last success in 1999. Given how Klaasen and friends are swinging from the hips though, Pakistan will need more than history to bail them out.
Time and Venue Details
October 27, 2 PM. MA Chidambaram Stadium. Chennai
Expected conditions
It might be partially cloudy for some time of the day, but there is no forecast of rain. The pitch has been slightly slow compared to other venues, but it is still good for batting.
Possible XI
Pakistan: If Mohammad Nawaz recovers, he should replace Usama Mir. Hasan Ali is likely to be replaced by Mohammad Wasim.
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: Unless Temba Bavuma returns in place of Reeza Hendricks, major changes are unlikely.
Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lizaad Williams, Tabraiz Shamsi.
Match-up
Pak bowling vs SA batting: Pakistan’s bowlers have struggled, while South Africa’s batting unit has prospered so far. How Shaheen Afridi and his fellow bowlers fare against a marauding batting side will determine the course of this match.
Teams speak
We are not performing in all the departments, which is why the team is at this stage. Our poor form is understood in batting and bowling. If you drop catches or give easy boundaries in such batting-friendly conditions, there is no pressure on the batter and eventually a lot of cost for us.
Shadab Khan, Pakistan