Having all but bowed out of the 2019 ICC World Cup after a close defeat to New Zealand, South Africa will have nothing but pride at stake when they take on Pakistan as the tournament hits the mecca of cricket – Lord’s on Sunday.
While the Proteas only have an outside chance of making it to the top four, same is not the case for Pakistan. The team led by Sarfaraz Ahmed come into this match after a morale shattering loss to India a week ago. Though they have won just one of their five games so far, the Pakistanis can still make it to the semifinals even if they win rest of their four games, starting with their clash against South Africa.
Problems for Pakistan isn’t restricted to one department alone. While their batsmen have failed to deliver and at time, capitalize on the odd starts that they have managed, the bowlers too have been lethargic in their approach. Their fielding lacks the cutting edge, while Sarfaraz’s decisions as the skipper too has been questionable.
But despite a collective failure, two of Pakistan’s gems have ensured that they continue the good work. While Babar Azam has been consistent with the bat, Mohammad Amir has been the most destructive with the ball. Azam has amassed 163 runs in four innings, but he too has been guilty of throwing away wickets when it was least expected.
Amir, meanwhile, has been on the money from the first game. With 13 wickets to show for, which includes a five-wicket haul against Australia, the left-arm pacer has been the beacon of hope that the Pakistanis are heavily reliant on. And on Sunday, they will once again be expecting him to deliver with the new ball.
On the flip side, nothing much can be said about South Africa. While if until this edition of the World Cup, poor ‘luck’ or one bad decision was they undoing, at the 2019 World Cup, the Proteas have no one but themselves to blame for the position they find themselves in.
The batting has been their biggest worry with Hashim Amla struggling for form, while Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis have also been largely patchy so far. On the bowling front, neither Kagiso Rabada nor Lungi Ngidi have showed anything worth appreciating. Though Imran Tahir has been good, one can’t expect a spinner to carry a team through in the English conditions.
Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Oli Scarff
