After South Africa completed a clean sweep of the test match series against Pakistan the teams move on to the 50 over format with the first of five ODI’s taking place at St. Georges Park, Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The Proteas became increasingly dominant in the test series, winning all 3 contests and we now have the ODI’s to look forward to. Saturday’s match in PE is a day / night affair and let’s begin with the squads.
South Africa Squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Duanne Olivier, Rassie van der Dussen
Pakistan Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed(c), Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan
Current Form:
The Proteas were 2-1 series winners in Australia in November. Prior to that they raced into an unassailable 3-0 lead in Sri Lanka but they lost the last 2 matches of that series. In the early part of 2018 they were outplayed on home turf by India who ran out 5-1 winners.
Pakistan drew 1-1 with New Zealand in UAE in November with no result possible in what would have been the decider. They were involved in the Asia Cup in September but failed to reach the final after winning just 2 of their 5 matches. Ealier in 2018 Pakistan completed a 5-0 clean sweep of Zimbabwe away from home.
Recent Head to Head
The teams last met in the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June 2017 and Pakistan won by 19 runs and in the pool stage of the 2015 World Cup Pakistan won by 29 runs in Auckland
Pakistan were last in SA for an ODI series in November 2013 and they won that 3 match series 2-1. That was quite a turnaround from a 5 match series in UAE slightly earlier that year which South Africa had won 4-1.
The Venue, St. Georges Park, Port Elizabeth
The most recent ODI at this venue saw India comfortably defend a bat first total of 274/7 for a 73 run victory in February 2018.
Over the last decade the Proteas have won 5 and lost 5 of the 10 ODI’s staged at this venue.
On Pakistan’s tour of South Africa in 2013 the visitors won by just a single run
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The Verdict:
I'll take an interest in the Pakistan top bat market I will stick with Shan Masood who impressed me more than once in the test matches.
Bets: Top Pakistan bat Shan Masood at 9/2
Remember you can have your own say on all this week’s matches on our discussion forum
