Pakistan aims to salvage lost pride as ODI series begins
After two extremely ordinary performances the beleaguered Pakistani team is aiming to instill some life in their series against South Africa taking place in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033.
The meek surrender in the T20 series has to be forgotten almost immediately as the two teams square up for an ODI series that starts tomorrow at the Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi, the venue of the two T20 games that the men in green lost comprehensively.
It would once again be a herculean effort for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-c89347 Afridi’s men as they try and upstage the more clinical and solid South African line up that has real talent and professionalism combined together, and that is what makes them a real tough nut to crack
under any condition.
In the shortest format they held all the aces and made the talented Pakistani batting line up look mediocre at best with their disciplined bowling and electrifying fielding that was a sight to behold for the largely partisan crowd that was backing Pakistan.
The worrying thing for Pakistan is that the fearsome pace bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn is set to make a comeback in the playing eleven for the first ODI. The express pacer missed the T20 series due to slight illness.
He is one of the most feared and hostile opening bowlers going around and the fragile Pakistani batting line up would be in for a severe test against him when they set out to bat at the Zayed stadium tomorrow.
The match would be played under the floodlights and on paper it is expected to be a good contest only if the Pakistani players produce their A game and fight back strongly.
They would be relying on their two main striking weapons Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul to get them the initial breakthroughs, with spin wizards Afridi and Saeed Ajmal providing both containment and wicket taking options.
The batting line is also set to gain strength with the return of former captain Younis Khan, who found a place in the team after settling his differences with the Chairman of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128.
Younis has an ordinary record against the Proteas in the ODI format and averages in the 20’s against them, whilst his strike rate hovers around the 65 run mark.
He would be needed to hold up one end as the stroke makers try and score big runs on a wicket which would be on the slower side yet is expected to be placid in nature.
The Pakistanis have an abysmal record in the bi-lateral series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 and have never beaten them in an ODI series. The last time the two teams squared up for a 5 match series in Pakistan, the hosts under Shoaib Malik lost the series 2-3. They
gifted away the last match of the tournament in Lahore from a seemingly impregnable position.
Once again they would have to show steely nerves if they are to outdo the formidable Proteas, who have an all-round team that is set to make life extremely difficult for their opponents.
Meanwhile, a packed stadium is expected for the encounter that takes place on the weekly holiday in UAE, Friday. The fans, who would be turning up in their numbers at the venue would be hoping for an even contest between the two teams, who seem to have stark
differences in their approach to the game.
Another insipid performance by Pakistan is set to withdraw the interest of the locals in the series, and one fears empty stadiums in the remainder of the matches if the contest does not provide exciting and enthralling cricket on Friday.
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