Pakistan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 lock horns in first Test
The dysfunctional http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 cricket team has a huge task at its hand as it takes on South Africa in the first Test match of the two match series.
The Test is set to start later today at a brand new venue the Dubai International Stadium, which becomes the 101st Test centre in the World.
Pakistan’s team would be led by Misbah ul-Haq, who is making a comeback in the Test team after missing out on the tour of England.
He would be under the scanner as he makes his captaincy debut in the longest format of the game in what is undoubtedly going to be an enormous challenge for him and his team. Pakistan’s team is reeling from the shock of wicket-keeper batsman Zulqarnain Haider
abandoning the team during the tour.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani squad looks experienced and capable on paper. The “hosts” of the neutral series have some very handy batsmen and bowlers, who have the ability to win matches.
The return of the two Ys, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, is set to bolster the batting line-up.
Both Younis and Yousuf average more than 50 runs per innings and have played outstandingly well in the longest format of the game.
They are widely regarded as two of the best players at the international level.
Younis Khan had an outstanding series against the Proteas when they played them last in a Test series at home.
He scored two hundreds in the two match series that was played at Karachi and Lahore.
Yousuf on the other hand has an ordinary record against the Proteas and is yet to post a hundred against them. This series is an ideal opportunity for the bearded batsman to put the record straight and finally break the jinx.
The wickets at Dubai and Abu Dhabi are set to be to his liking as they are not expected to help the pacers, and would be typical Subcontinent wickets with low bounce and turn.
Pakistan would be hampered by the absence of their star leg-spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314, who has not been included in the team for the series, after being part of the Test squad initially.
Kaneria was not allowed to travel to Dubai by the PCB and the word is that the ICC has not cleared him yet from the spot fixing controversy that engulfed him earlier in the year.
Kaneria has had an impeccable record against the Proteas. He played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s lone series success against them in 2002-03.
He was chiefly responsible for running through them with a fine spell of leg-spin and googly bowling in the first match of the two Test series that Pakistan won at the Qaddafi stadium in Lahore.
On the other hand the South Africans are a confident unit ahead of the match. Their captain Graeme Smith is pleased with their performance in the ODI series that they won after a closely fought encounter.
Smith has the trust in his bowlers and batsmen to cause serious trouble to Pakistan in the two Tests that would be an ideal build up for his team ahead of their contest with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 at home.
The series against India would decide the top most ranking in international cricket. While for the Pakistan series Smith is hopeful that his team would rise to the challenge and encounter the conditions that are alien to his team.
The wicket for the Test match is set to be a low bounce track that will offer assistance to the slower bowlers.
Pakistan is expected to field two spinners in their playing eleven, backed up by Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz, who are set to share the new ball.
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