After Test debacle, wounded Pakistan takes on South in first ODI

After a one side Test series, Pakistan will take on South Africa in the first of five one-day internationals (ODI) at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

The Test series was nothing short of nightmare experience for skipper Sarfraz as the team suffered a humiliating 3-0 whitewash. However, the odds in 50-overs cricket are much more even as both South Africa and Pakistan are evenly placed at fourth and fifth position, respectively.

For Pakistan the series is all about an opportunity to explore individuals, which will boost their chances at the upcoming World Cup.  “We have to identify our strengths ahead of the World Cup for which we will be trying different combinations in this series and the one against Australia,” said Sarfraz.

The Men in Green will be bolstered with the inclusion of senior middle-order duo of Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, while the rest of the line-up too picks itself.

Meanwhile, South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis believes the visitors will pose a “nice challenge” in the ODIs.

“Pakistan is a very good one day side and probably they would be the first to say that from a performance point of view, their one-day team is much stronger. It will be a nice challenge for us,” said the Proteas skipper.

The Proteas will be without their wicketkeeper batsman Quinton de Kock and speedster Dale Steyn that means Heinrich Klaasen will have to don the keeping gloves, whereas Test hero Duanne Olivier could get his maiden ODI cap.

Squads:

Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wkt), Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen (wkt), Aiden Markram, David Miller, Duanne Olivier, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen