Pakistan and South Africa will lock horns in the second ODI of the ongoing series on 19th December at Newlands Cricket Ground.
Match Preview:
Pakistan made an exceptional comeback after losing the T20i series to South Africa. Nevertheless, at one place it was thought Pakistan would lose the 1st ODI as well but Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha stitched a partnership making sure their team crossed the winning line.
After Pakistan was 60/4 having lost Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Saim played a classical and calculated knock and in this course, he also scored his second century in the ODI format, his first in South Africa.
Salman Ali Agha was the real man for Pakistan as he took 4 wickets with the ball and hit the winning runs for his side scoring an unbeaten knock of 82.
Agha not only won hearts on the pitch but also off it when he decided to share his Man of the Match award with the centurion Saim Ayub.
Pakistan’s bowlers also played a huge role as they restricted Africa to a modest total of 239 even after the team was off to a great start.
If Pakistan wants to win the upcoming ODI of the series, key players like Babar and Rizwan will have to step up. Contribution from Abdullah Shafique will come in handy and Pakistan would love to see Haris Rauf coming back to his form.
Talking about South Africa, they failed to put on a great show both with the bat and bowl. Deciding to bat first, the middle order failed to rack up runs. It was only Heinrich Klaasen who played a great knock of 86 before getting bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
It was Klaasen’s knock that guided Africa to a total of 249. Talking about the bowling unit, besides Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman, none of the bowlers performed admirably.
Marco Jansen and Shamsi were expensive as they both took one wicket apiece but gave
away 45 and 54 runs, respectively.
If South Africa wants to save the series they will have to display a great standard of cricket in the forthcoming match of the series.
Probable playing XI:
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Tabraiz Shamsi
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Agha, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
Pitch and weather report:
The Newlands pitch is known for its seam-friendly conditions, especially when the skies are overcast. As the game wears on, spinners can also expect to find some grip and turn, particularly in the second innings.
Initially, the pitch may offer some swing, but once that subsides, batters can expect a more favorable surface. Teams batting first will aim for a competitive total in the range of 260-280, with 300+ being a challenging target.
Historically, teams chasing under lights have enjoyed success, as the pitch tends to flatten out in the second half. Considering this trend and the dew factor, captains winning the toss may prefer to chase, giving their team a slight advantage.
Head-to-head record:
Out of 84 games played between the two sides in this format, South Africa has clinched 52 ODIs while Pakistan has come out victorious 31 times.
Prediction:
South Africa is expected to win the second ODI of the series. The home side will try to give it all to save the 3-match series.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan: Tapmad, Tamasha, Geo Super, PTV Sports
South Africa: SuperSport
UK: SkySports, SkyGo App
India: Sports18, JioCinema App
USA: Willow TV
