Tag: South Africa

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma is set to miss the first ODI of the three-match series against Pakistan, scheduled later today in Paarl, and Aiden Markram will lead the team in his absence.

Bavuma has been rested to manage his workload ahead of the crucial two-match Test series against Pakistan. However, he is likely to feature in the next two ODIs.

It’s worth noting that Bavuma’s team has emerged as formidable contenders for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, currently perched at the summit of the points table after their clean sweep victory over Sri Lanka in a recent two-match Test series.

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With two crucial Tests still to be played on home turf against Pakistan, securing victories in these matches will further cement their position in the race for the final.

The decision to rest Bavuma highlights South Africa’s strategic approach to managing player workload and ensuring peak performance.

This decision was made considering the team’s preparations for major upcoming competitions, notably the highly anticipated Champions Trophy in 2025 and the critical World Test Championship matches.

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It’s worth noting that after the series opener today, Pakistan and South Africa will play subsequent ODIs in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Meanwhile, the two-match Test series will kick off in Centurion on December 26, followed by the second Test in Cape Town, starting from January 3.

Pakistan ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)

South Africa ODI Squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Ottneil Baartman, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

READ: Fakhar Zaman needs to let his bat speak: Shoaib Akhtar

Pakistan batter Babar Azam surpassed West Indies legend Chris Gayle on Friday to become the fastest batter to amass 11,000 runs in T20 cricket.

Babar reached the elusive milestone during the second T20I against South Africa in Centurion, where he played a quick 31-run knock to set up Pakistan’s total of 206-5.

Chris Gayle achieved the feat in 314 innings, however, Babar Azam took only 298 innings to score 11,000 runs in T20 cricket.

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The right-handed maestro is not only the 11th player globally to accomplish this extraordinary feat but also the second from Pakistan after Shoaib Malik.

However, Shoaib and Babar also hold the record for slowest to reach the milestone in terms of strike rate. Shoaib completed his 11,000 runs at a strike rate of 127.47, while Babar’s strike rate was 129.37.

The record for the fastest to 11,000 runs in T20 cricket in terms of strike rate is held by Kieron Pollard, who achieved the feat with a strike rate of a whopping 150.51.

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Moreover, Babar Azam has also surpassed 14000 runs in international cricket, marking himself as just the fifth Pakistani batter to reach this prestigious milestone.

Notably, he stands out as the second-fastest Pakistani to achieve this landmark, trailing only the legendary Mohammad Yousuf.

During his brief 31-run innings, Babar smashed one six, which propelled him to equal Shahid Afridi’s tally of 73 sixes in T20I cricket.

READ: PCB reacts to Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim’s retirement

CENTURION: Saim Ayub’s unbeaten 98 went in vain as Reeza Hendricks smashed a blistering century to steer South Africa to a crushing victory in the second T20I against Pakistan here at SuperSport Park on Friday.

South Africa successfully chased a target of 207 runs, achieving the total with three balls to spare, and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The hosts faced a tumultuous beginning to their innings as Jahandad Khan removed Ryan Rickelton (2) and then Matthew Breetzke (12) within the span of successive overs. This early onslaught left South Africa reeling at a precarious 28-2 after only four overs.

Rassie van der Dussen stepped in and partnered with Reeza Hendricks to orchestrate a remarkable turnaround. The duo formed a formidable alliance, amassing a significant 157-run partnership for the third wicket.

Their marathon stand finally came to an end in the 18th over, when Abbas Afridi managed to dismiss Hendricks. The right-handed opener played an explosive innings that included 117 runs off just 63 balls, peppered with seven boundaries and a staggering 10 sixes.

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Van der Dussen then forged an unbeaten 25-run partnership with captain Heinrich Klaasen (8*), guiding his side to a series-clinching victory. He smashed three fours and five sixes on his way to a 38-ball 66.

On the bowling front for Pakistan, Jahandad Khan shone with two wickets to his name, while Abbas Afridi chipped in with one wicket.

Earlier, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan opted to bat first, however, he fell in the fourth over with only 16 runs on the board.

Saim Ayub was joined by Babar Azam and together they added 87 runs for the second wicket from 45 balls before last match’s hero George Linde struck again.

Babar, who struck three fours and one six on his way to 31, fell prey to Linde.

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Meanwhile, debutant Dayyaan Galiem dismissed Usman Khan (3) and Tayyab Tahir (6) in consecutive overs to leave Pakistan reeling at 122-4.

Irfan Khan (30) then joined Saim and they helped Pakistan recover from the mini-collapse as they smashed 73 runs from 32 balls before the former fell in the final over.

Saim Ayub missed his much-deserved century as new batter Abbas Afridi played the remaining four balls, hitting 11 runs with one six and one four to take Pakistan’s total to 206-5.

The left-handed opening batter remained unbeaten on 98 after conceding 57 balls. His innings featured five sixes and 11 fours.

For South Africa, Galiem and Ottneil Baartman took two wickets each, while Linde bagged one.

READ: Babar Azam close to surpass Shahid Afridi’s record in second South Africa T20I

Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is set to surpass former captain Shahid Afridi in the list of batters with the most sixes during the second T20I against South Africa, which is scheduled to be played today in Centurion.

Babar has smashed 72 sixes in T20I cricket so far and is ranked fifth on the list of Pakistani batters with the most sixes in the format. He is just one shy of Afridi, who struck 73 sixes during his career.

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Most sixes for Pakistan in T20I cricket

Mohammad Rizwan — 95 sixes
Fakhar Zaman — 76 sixes
Mohammad Hafeez — 76 sixes
Shahid Afridi — 73 sixes
Babar Azam — 72 sixes

It’s worth noting that Pakistan will be looking to bounce back in the second T20I after suffering a narrow 11-run defeat in the series opener. Meanwhile, the final T20I is scheduled to be played in Johannesburg tomorrow.

After wrapping up the T20I series, Pakistan and South Africa will play a three-match ODI series.

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The opening ODI will take place on December 17 in Paarl, while the second and third ODIs will be played in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Pakistan and South Africa will then engage in a two-match Test series, which will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

Pakistan Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

READ: Pakistan make one change to Playing XI for second T20I against South Africa

South Africa suffered a major setback ahead of the second T20I against Pakistan as fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the ongoing series as well as the upcoming ODI series.

The 31-year-old pacer did not participate in the first T20I, which South Africa won by 11 runs, due to a contusion to his left big toe.

He suffered the injury during a pre-match practice session and later scans confirmed that it was a fracture, sidelining him for the remainder of the series.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has named uncapped all-rounder Dayyaan Galiem as the Nortje’s replacement for the remaining two T20Is against Pakistan.

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It’s worth noting that the South African cricket camp has recently encountered significant challenges due to fitness concerns surrounding several key players.

Aside from Anrich Nortje, the team is grappling with the absence of fast bowlers Gerald Coetzee, who is dealing with a groin injury, Nandre Burger, facing complications from a stress fracture in his lower back, and Lungi Ngidi, who is sidelined due to a hip issue.

Moreover, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who sustained a fractured finger during the first Test match against Sri Lanka, has also been ruled out.

The second T20I of the three-match series will be played in Centurion later today, while the series will culminate with the final T20I in Johannesburg tomorrow.

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After wrapping up the T20I series, Pakistan and South Africa will play a three-match ODI series.

The opening ODI will take place on December 17 in Paarl, while the second and third ODIs will be played in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Pakistan and South Africa will then engage in a two-match Test series, which will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

South Africa’s white-ball Squads

T20I: Heinrich Klaasen (c), Ottneil Baartman, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Dayyaan Galiem, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Andile Simelane, and Rassie van der Dussen.

ODIs: Temba Bavuma (c), Ottneil Baartman, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen

READ: Josh Hazlewood returns to Australia squad for third Test against India

Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has raised questions over Pakistan batters’ intent after the defeat in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban.

Pakistan, while chasing a target of 184 runs, fell short by 11 runs as they were restricted to 172-8 in their allotted 20 overs.

The visiting side lost Babar Azam (0) early on before Saim Ayub scored a quick 31 off 15 balls with the help of seven boundaries.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan held on to one end, playing an anchoring knock of 74 runs from 62 balls, which featured five boundaries and three sixes, before falling in the last over.

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However, he could not find much support from the other end with Tayyab Tahir (18) being the only third batter to cross the double figures.

Following Pakistan’s narrow loss, Ahmed Shehzad took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account and criticised the batting approach while chasing a massive target.

“Close but not good enough. Pakistan cricket team not learning from their past mistakes,” Shehzad posted. “Firstly letting South Africa to 180+ from where they were in the game was unbelievable, and then how we went to chase about this target was bizarre from the beginning.”

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Shehzad credited dot balls and lack of intent as the major reason behind Pakistan’s loss, while also urging senior players to take more responsibility.

“Too many dot balls & lack of intent in the chase cost us what could have been a victory for Pakistan. Seniors should be leading from the front not hiding behind youngsters,” he added.

However, he pointed out that Saim Ayub, Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed’s performances were the only positives for Pakistan in this game. Shaheen and Abrar took three wickets, while Saim played a quick 31-run knock from 15 balls.

READ: Shaheen Afridi achieves major milestone in first T20I against South Africa

DURBAN: George Linde played a quick-fire 48-run knock, followed by a four-wicket haul to steer South Africa to a thrilling victory in the first T20I against Pakistan here at Kingsmead on Tuesday.

Pakistan, while chasing a target of 184 runs, fell short by 11 runs as they were restricted to 172-8 in their allotted 20 overs.

The visiting side lost Babar Azam (0) early on before Saim Ayub scored a quick 31 off 15 balls with the help of seven boundaries.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan held on to one end, playing an anchoring knock of 74 runs from 62 balls, which featured five boundaries and three sixes, before falling in the last over.

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However, he could not find much support from the other end with Tayyab Tahir (18) being the only third batter to cross the double figures.

For South Africa, George Linde led the attack with his figure of 4-21, while Kwena Maphaka took two wickets. Ottneil Baartman and Andile Simelane also contributed with a wicket each.

Earlier, South Africa opted to bat first but failed to get the desired start as they soon found themselves struggling at 28-3.

David Miller then stitched a one-sided partnership of 43 runs with skipper Heinrich Klaasen (12) before Abbas Afridi broke the budding stand.

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Miller continued his onslaught and smashed eight sixes on his way to a quick-fire 82 off 40 balls, which also featured four boundaries.

Shaheen Afridi removed Miller to leave South Africa reeling at 135-6 before George Linde waged a lone war to carry his team’s total to 183-9 in the allocated 20 overs.

Linde fell off the final ball of the innings after smashing 48 runs from 24 balls with the help of three boundaries and four sixes.

Shaheen and Abrar Ahmed led Pakistan’s bowling attack with three wickets each, while Abbas Afridi bagged two key wickets.

Pakistan Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

South Africa Playing XI: Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Mathew Breetzke, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (c)(wk), Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman

READ: Shaheen Afridi achieves major milestone in first T20I against South Africa

DURBAN: South Africa have won the toss and opted to bat first in the first T20I of the three-match series against Pakistan here at Kingsmead on Tuesday.

Pakistan team management has decided to drop white-ball vice-captain Salman Ali Agha from the Playing XI for the series opener at Kingsmead.

Saim Ayub, Babar Azam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan will form Pakistan’s top order, followed by Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir and Muhammad Irfan Khan in the subsequent positions.

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The Green Shirts have opted to field two specialist spinners — Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed, along with pacers Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf.

It’s worth noting that after the first T20I match in Durban today, the action will shift to Centurion for the second T20I, which is scheduled for December 13. The series will culminate with the final T20I in Johannesburg on December 14.

After wrapping up the T20I series, Pakistan and South Africa will play a three-match ODI series.

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The opening ODI will take place on December 17 in Paarl, while the second and third ODIs will be played in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Pakistan and South Africa will then engage in a two-match Test series, which will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

Pakistan Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

South Africa Playing XI: Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Mathew Breetzke, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (c)(wk), Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman

READ: PSL 10 Player Draft schedule revealed in newly-released promo

DURBAN: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the Playing XI for the first T20I of the three-match series against South Africa, scheduled to be played here today.

Pakistan team management has decided to drop white-ball vice-captain Salman Ali Agha from the Playing XI for the series opener at Kingsmead.

Saim Ayub, Babar Azam and skipper Mohammad Rizwan will form Pakistan’s top order, followed by Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir and Muhammad Irfan Khan in the subsequent positions.

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The Green Shirts have opted to field two specialist spinners — Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed, along with pacers Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf.

It’s worth noting that after the first T20I match in Durban today, the action will shift to Centurion for the second T20I, which is scheduled for December 13. The series will culminate with the final T20I in Johannesburg on December 14.

After wrapping up the T20I series, Pakistan and South Africa will play a three-match ODI series.

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The opening ODI will take place on December 17 in Paarl, while the second and third ODIs will be played in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Pakistan and South Africa will then engage in a two-match Test series, which will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

Pakistan Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

READ: PSL 10 Player Draft schedule revealed in newly-released promo

South Africa Test captain Temba Bavuma stated that his team aims to defeat Pakistan in the upcoming series to secure a spot in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

Bavuma’s team has emerged as formidable contenders for the WTC final, currently perched at the summit of the points table after their clean sweep victory over Sri Lanka in a recent two-match Test series.

With two crucial Tests still to be played on home turf against Pakistan, securing victories in these matches will further cement their position in the race for the final.

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“I believe we are performing well as a team, currently ranked number one in the WTC table. The future is uncertain, but we will take the time to celebrate today,” Temba Bavuma stated.

“In a few weeks, we face Pakistan, and we must maintain our focus and continue our journey.”

Bavuma also addressed his return to action after being on the sidelines due to an injury.

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“It feels great to be back; it was frustrating to watch from the sidelines. I was eager to return and seize the opportunity,” he added.

It’s worth noting that the two-match Test series between Pakistan and South Africa will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

READ: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi eye milestones in first T20I against South Africa