The teams played out a riveting ODI series that eventually saw the Asian side win 2-1.
There were question marks around scheduling the white-ball series between South Africa and Pakistan, especially with three ODIs that bore no context. It is a year that comprises of the T20 World Cup, and the next cycle of the World Test Championship gets underway. However, South Africa and Pakistan brushed all of that aside and produced a riveting three-match ODI series.
The first two games went down to the wire, with either side winning a game each before Pakistan clinch the deciding ODI to register their second ODI series win on South African soil. They have the opportunity to do the same in the four-match T20I series as well that begins from April 10.
The four-match T20I series kicks off at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, and the second T20I will also be played here. The caravan will then move to where the tour started, the SuperSport Park in Centurion, as the last two T20Is will be held there.
South Africa have a very inexperienced side and almost fielded an entirely new side in the third ODI with as many as seven changes from the second game, out of which six of them were forced. Their XI might look pretty similar to the one played in Pakistan almost a couple of months ago.
Janneman Malan and Reeza Hendricks will open the batting, and they form a pretty good opening pair. Skipper Temba Bavuma is likely to bat at No. 3, while David Miller’s void will be a big one to fill from that line-up in Pakistan. In addition to this, Rassie van der Dussen’s injury has made things worse, and the middle-order seems to have a significant hole. The likes of Heinrich Klaasen and all-rounders Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo and George Linde will have to step up. The bowling wears an even more inexperienced look. Bjorn Fortuin, Junior Dala and Lutho Sipamla are likely to form the pace attack, while Tabraiz Shamsi will be the frontline spinner.
Pakistan seem to have a well-balanced side. They are likely to make a few changes from the team that played in the third ODI and the T20I series against South Africa back at home.
The top-order will be different. Sharjeel Khan, who last played international cricket back in 2017 is back in the squad, and he may get to open the batting. Babar Azam will move up the order as well in the shortest format and has been supremely consistent there. Mohammad Rizwan is also a contender to bat at the top but he may fit in at No. 3. The likes of Mohammad Hafeez and Haider Ali will most probably slot in the middle-order. The lower order and bowling attack may wear a similar look to the one that played in the third ODI.
Key Players
Mohammad Hafeez has been in fantastic form for Pakistan in T20Is. The veteran off-spinning all-rounder smashed 415 runs in just 8 T20Is in 2020. He scored four half-centuries while averaging 83.00 and striking at 152.57. Hafeez missed the T20I series against South Africa at home and he will want to cash in this time around. He will be a vital cog in that relatively inexperienced Pakistan middle-order.
Shaheen Afridi has been in red-hot form in the recent past. There have been a few games where he has looked slightly off colour, but he has done really well. The left-arm fast bowler has provided Pakistan with early breakthroughs more often than not. His T20 form has constantly been on the rise in the last couple of years. Hence, Afridi will be important with the new ball.
Janneman Malan might be a crucial player for South Africa in this T20I series. He was excellent in the third ODI, where he stroked his way to 70, and he fared decently in the three T20Is in Pakistan as well, scoring 75 runs at a strike rate of 156.25. If Malan can provide some solid starts and bat long, South Africa may be well placed.
Dwaine Pretorius could be a key player for the Proteas. He adds immense balance to the squad as he regularly bowls his four overs and can tonk it with the bat in the middle-order. In Pakistan, the seam-bowling all-rounder picked up a five-wicket haul as well.
Prediction
In the recent past, both South Africa and Pakistan have blown hot and cold in the T20I format. However, the latter have been more consistent. Pakistan lost the T20I series in New Zealand 1-2 before winning 2-1 against South Africa at home. Including these two series, Pakistan have won nine out of their last 14 T20Is that they have played. Meanwhile, the Proteas have won just three out of their last 12 T20Is, and they will be desperate to turn things around in the shortest format.
With the amount of inexperience in South Africa’s side, Pakistan may well start as favourites. And this despite South Africa’s slightly better head to head record against Pakistan, which stands at 9-8 overall and 4-3 in South Africa. However, Babar Azam and his men look a little more rounded and balanced when compared to the current Proteas side. Thus, Pakistan have the opportunity of completing a double (winning both the ODI and T20I series) on the same tour as they did in 2013.
