SOUTH AFRICA VS. PAKISTAN: PAK’S TOUR OF SA 2021, 1st ODI | MATCH PREDICTION AND FANTASY CRICKET TIPS
Hosts South Africa take on Pakistan in the first ODI of the 3-match series at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.
South Africa had a poor tour of Pakistan a month ago and would be looking to even it out as they play the same opponents at home. However, South Africa will only have their biggest stars in the opening two games as they will depart for the Indian T20 League after that.
This series will see T Bavuma take over as the new white-ball captain of South Africa. He will be fully focused on doing well in this opening match. The opening pair of de Kock and Markram will be expected to provide a good start here. Van der Dussen, Bavuma, Miller and Klassen will be part of a strong middle order. Rabada and Nortje will look for early wickets with the new ball. L Ngidi and T Shamsi will need to check the flow of runs in the middle overs.
Pakistan have not played many ODI games in recent times. They last played in this format in Nov 2020, three games against Zimbabwe where they won two and lost one. They have a good white-ball record in South Africa in recent years and would like to better that during this tour.
Pakistan’s top three batsmen, Imam, Fakhar and Babar, will have to play a very important role in setting up the platform for the likes of Asif Ali and M Rizwan. S Afridi, H Rauf, and F Ashraf will be expected to do well in the bowler-friendly conditions. S Khan will take on the spin bowling duty in the match.
With both teams having virtually full-strength squads and very little separating the two teams on paper, it promises to be a hugely competitive game to start this white-ball tour in Centurion.
Match Details
- Match: South Africa vs. Pakistan, 1st ODI
- Venue: SuperSport Park, Centurion
- Date & Time: Apr. 2, 2021, at 1:30 PM IST
Probable Playing XI
South Africa
Q de Kock (WK), A Markram, R van der Dussen, T Bavuma (C), D Miller, H Klassen, A Phehlukwayo, K Rabada, A Nortje, L Ngidi, T Shamsi
Pakistan
Imam-ul-Haq, F Zaman, B Azam (C), M Rizwan (WK), Asif Ali, S Khan, F Ashraf, S Afridi, H Ali, M Hasnain, H Rauf
Weather and Pitch Report
Centurion is expected to have clear and sunny weather during the match. The temperature will be around 24 degrees during the game.
The SuperSport Park will see a game after a gap of 2 years. The pitch is expected to be a lively one where the ball will bounce and move off the surface. Batsmen will have to be cautious in their approach and bide their time before they go on to attack. There will not be much help for the spinners on this track. The average first innings score in the last five ODI matches played here has been 255 runs.
Most teams have preferred to bowl first here on winning the toss, taking advantage of the early morning moisture in the surface. Out of the last 5 ODIs played here, 3 have been won by the teams chasing. A score of around 280 runs should be a competitive one.
Key Players
- Q de Kock has had the highest score of just 30 runs in the 7 innings since international cricket resumed for South Africa in November last year. He has a brilliant record at this venue, scoring 689 runs at an average of 76.55 with 4 centuries. His highest score of 178 was also made at this venue.
- R van der Dussen has been consistent in the middle order since making his debut against the same opponents two years ago. He has scored 707 runs in 21 matches at an average of 70.7, with 7 half centuries. He was in good knick in the Test series in Pakistan, scoring a 60 and a 40.
- K Rabada is the spearhead of South Africa’s pace attack. He has taken 117 wickets in 74 ODIs, with the best figures of 6/16. He is in good form with the ball in domestic cricket, having taken 14 wickets in the last 7 matches, which includes a 5-wicket haul in the last match.
- B Azam is currently the second ranked batsman in the ODI format. He seems to have found his form, with 3 half centuries in the last 4 games in the Pak T20 League. He scored a solid 69 runs the last time Pakistan played an ODI game here.
- M Rizwan is in red-hot form, scoring runs every time he comes to the crease. He has scored 4 half centuries, 1 century, and several 40s in his last 8 innings. He will look to continue his great form in this match too.
- Hasan Ali has been impressive since his return to the national team against South Africa at home. He took 20 wickets in 7 matches, including a 10-wicket haul in the last Test. He will look to pick up wickets in this match as well.
Howzat Dream Team
- Wicketkeepers: Q de Kock, M Rizwan
- Batsmen: R van der Dussen, T Bavuma, B Azam
- All-rounders: A Phehlukwayo, F Ashraf
- Bowlers: K Rabada, A Nortje, S Afridi, Hasan Ali
- Captain: K Rabada/R van der Dussen
- Vice Captain: B Azam/M Rizwan
NOTE: The Howzat dream team above is just a suggestion. You can make today’s match prediction and play fantasy cricket matches. Also, don’t forget to make any necessary changes to your team once the actual playing 11 is announced by each team (30 minutes before the start of the match) as some players you have selected might not be part of the team suggested.
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