Match 26: PAK vs SA| Match Analysis| Pitch Report| Best 11

The 26th match of the tournament will be played between Pakistan (PAK) and South Africa (SA).

Current Standings:

Pakistan (PAK) Analysis:

Pakistan started their journey with 2 back to back wins but after that they lost 3 matches back to back. They have been struggling in both the departments. Their main pace attack where the trio of Shaheen, Haris and Hasan have an economy of more than 6. They were struggling in the death overs to stop the runs. In the batting department also they were unable to hit sixes where all the batters hit easily.    

Tournament performance so far:

Abdullah Shafique is showing his class in batting. Scored 255 runs in 4 matches which includes 1 century and 2 half centuries. He is batting with consistency and gives his team a great start. Imam-ul-Haq is unable to perform brilliantly. Although he scored 70 runs against Australia, in the remaining 4 matches he was unable to score much with the bat.

Babar Azam, the leader of the team has scored two half centuries till now. His highest score in this World Cup is 74 runs which came against Afghanistan in the last match. Team is expecting more from him as he was unable to score much in the previous matches and this innings must definitely boost him. Mohammad Rizwan is the top scorer for the team in this tournament with 302 runs in 5 matches with an average of 60.4. In this he scored 1 century and 1 half century. 

Saud Shakeel started the tournament with a half century but after he scored a couple of thirties he couldn’t reach much higher than that. He is making his comeback and he needs to be more consistent with the bat. Iftikhar Ahmed hasn’t been able to show any valuable knock till now. He batted mostly in the death overs but till now have not scored any half century till now. 

Shadab Khan the main key all rounder from the team hasn’t been able to show any great innings till now. With the bat he scored a couple of 40’s but with the ball his data is not going good as he has got only 2 wickets till now. Usama Mir played two matches only and in both the matches he was not looking in rhythm as he conceded too many runs in his spells. Mohammad Nawaz, the hard hitter of the ball is missing that hard hitting in the World Cup. With the ball he got only 2 wickets. He is an aggressive batter in the death overs and needs to be more consistent.  

Shaheen Afridi though took 5 wickets against Australia still not looking in that perfect line and length. He has got 9 wickets till now with an economy of over 6. Haris Rauf the other main pacer took 8 wickets in 5 matches but except Netherlands his economy was above 6. He needs to be more accurate with his spells. Hasan Ali started the tournament well but with the progress in the tournament he is missing that rhythm. Still he got 7 wickets in his pocket.      

Predicted 11 for the Match:

Babar Azam ©, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.

South Africa (SA) Analysis:

One of the most destructive teams in this World Cup. Except against Netherlands this team is scoring a minimum 300 runs. They already scored the highest total runs in the tournament. They are currently in beast mode in both the departments. They became more lethal during their bowling.       

Tournament performance so far:

Quinton de Kock has already scored 3 centuries in this World Cup. He has scored 174 runs against Bangladesh and just the double tons by just some inches. He scored 407 runs with an average of 81.4. Temba Bavuma missed the last two matches due to fever but he is expected to play the match against Pakistan and is totally fit. He is yet to mark his presence as he didn’t score any fifty in the tournament till now. Reeza Hendricks played in place of Bavuma and scored a brilliant 85 runs against England. 

Rassie van der Dussen has scored a century against Sri Lanka in their opening match. He is looking in some touch and also got a half century to his name which came against England. Aiden Markram, a good striker of the ball has scored 265 runs in the tournament which includes a century and a half century to his name. He scored the fastest century in the World Cup but was later broken by Glenn Maxwell. 

Heinrich Klassen has total lethal power and he used that in the death overs. He scored 288 runs which includes 1 century and 1 half century. His strike rate is 150.79 and provides some healthy useful runs for his teams in the end. David Miller is yet to show his remarkable knock. Though he batted aggressively against Bangladesh and Sri lanka but didn’t touch that 50 runs mark yet.  

Marco Jansen, the tallest guy, has taken 10 wickets in the tournament till now. Except his economy (6.5) he is bowling well in the starting overs. Also against England he got brutal as he scored 75 runs in just 42 balls. Gerald Coetzee played his first tournament and has taken 10 wickets till now. He has got 3 times 3 wickets haul and has some sheer pace. 

Keshav Maharaj is the main spinner of the team and he showed that experience very well. Has got 7 wickets till now and can also contribute some useful runs for the team in the death overs. Kagiso Rabada has got 10 wickets in the tournament till now and creates problems for the batters with his swing. His best performance so far was against Australia where he grabbed 3 wickets. Lungi Ngidi has 6 wickets to his name and provides early breakthroughs to his team.  

Lizaad Williams played his first match of the tournament against Bangladesh where he got 2 wickets to his name. Tabraiz Shamsi also played one match which was against Australia where he got 2 wickets by giving away just 38 runs.           

Predicted 11 for the Match:

Temba Bavuma ©, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klassen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi. 

Pitch Report and Weather Report:

The match will be played at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Here the pitch will get slow in the later part of the match, still 3 out of 4 matches in this tournament were won by the chasing side. Spinners will get a healthy turn but pacers profited more in this tournament till now.

Temperature will be around 31 degree celsius in the daytime which will drop a little bit in the evening. Humidity will be very high approx 80% which will make it hard to play under these conditions.   

Head to head (PAK vs SA) in the World Cup:

They played 5 matches against each other in the World Cup. 

Best 11 for the match:

Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klassen, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Rassie van der Dussen, Abdullah Shafique, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.