Friday, 01 March 2013

Great match up in store

The ODI and T20 series between SA and PAK should be very competitive. The games should be a great deal closer than the recent one-sided test series in which SA whitewashed Pakistan 3-0.

SA are 4th in the ICC ODI rankings and Pakistan are 6th. In T20s SA are 5th and Pakistan are 6th. Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers are ranked number 1 and 2 as batsmen in ODIs respectively by the ICC but Saeed Ajmal is the number one ODI and T20 bowler in the world.

2 T20s and 5 ODIs are to be played. The first T20 was supposed to be played today but was abandoned because of rain. That leaves one T20. They ought to be very good as Pakistan are notorious for their strength, although not always consistency, in the shorter versions of the game. South Africa are pretty much known for the same thing, though they are undoubtedly less consistent in the shorter formats than in test cricket.

Pakistan enjoy the inclusion of Shahid Afridi while South Africa may shake up their selection with one-day specialists David Miller, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Aaron Phangiso, Farhaan Behardien, Colin Ingram and Ryan McLaren. The Proteas also have new blood in Rory Kleinvedt and Kyle Abbott. Nasir Jamshed of Pakistan will also have a point to prove after failing in the test series. I predict that both series will yield fantastic cricket.

Mohammad Hafeez (32 years old) of Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in 2012. Picture taken from http://www.supersport.com.


Hashim Amla struck a career-best 150
Hashim Amla (29) of South Africa is the number one batsman in tests and ODIs according to the ICC rankings. Picture taken from http://www.espncricinfo.com



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