LAHORE-Pakistan cricket team would be hoping to continue winning momentum against South Africa, when they take on the Proteas in the three-match T20I series, commencing from today (Thursday) here at the historical Gaddafi Stadium.
The 2-0 whitewash against the visiting side shows that Pakistan are in top form at home. With such satisfactory results in both Karachi and Rawalpindi, the men in green are now keen to carry the winning momentum in the T20Is and record another series win against South Africa. The bowlers of the hosts seem to be in good form and hopefully, they will deliver at the home soil while same can be expected from the batsmen, who, if play sensibly, can help the side register crucial victories.
Both the teams will be hoping to get as much practice as possible in the T20Is as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is just around eight months away. For the hosts, some notable omissions are veteran all-rounder Muhammad Hafeez and Shadab Khan while they brought in four uncapped players including left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar, all-rounder Danish Aziz, leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood and bowling all-rounder Amad Butt. The hero of the second Test Hasan Ali, who picked up a 10-wicket haul, was also recalled for the T20Is and his presence would hopefully make the difference in the T20Is as well.
Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis has hoped that Pakistan team will show consistency by putting up combined efforts to win the T20I series against South Africa. “The touring side is an international team, a big name in world cricket , it is not B or C team and we will not be taking them lightly and rather doing our best to win the three-match series.”
He urged the team members to live up to the expectations by displaying impressive form in the shortest version of the game to achieve desired result. “Our 2-0 win in Test series was the result of combined team efforts and mainly due to the superb performance of our pace battery and I look forward to a similar performance in T20 games for success,” Waqar added.
From the visitors, Miller‚ along with stand-in captain Heinrich Klaasen‚ Reeza Hendricks‚ Jon-Jon Smuts‚ Andile Phehlukwayo and Tabraiz Shamsi‚ are part of the leadership group that will guide the largely inexperienced Proteas against their full-strength hosts. Miller is the only player in the T20 squad to have played cricket in Pakistan and he said on Wednesday that he would draw from the vast experience of playing at this level. “Leadership comes when you have a little bit of experience and having played many games for your country‚” he said.
“It also comes with being secure in your role and knowing what you want to do‚ which brings calmness and clarity towards the squad and certain players who haven’t necessarily been on the international circuit‚ and give them reassurance in their role. “I just want to help out youngsters wherever I can off the field and also on the field as we all know that cricket is all about performances. You need to stick up your hand when the team requires you. We all need to perform but it does help a lot when senior players perform because it sort of takes the team into a completely different path,” Miller added.
SQUADS (FROM):
PAKISTAN: Babar Azam (capt), Haider Ali, Khushdil, Hussain Talat, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Iftikhar, M Nawaz, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, M Rizwan, Sarfaraz, Shaheen, Haris Rauf, Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood.
SOUTH AFRICA: Heinrich Klaasen (capt), Nandre Burger, Okuhle Cele, Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon-Jon Smuts, Pite van Biljon, Glenton Stuurman, Jacques Snyman.
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