Daily Times

LAHORE: Having won the Test series, Pakistan are aiming to keep their winning momentum intact when they take on visiting South Africa in the first Twenty20 international of a three-match series at picturesque Gaddafi Stadium here on Thursday (today). Skipper Babar Azam and his men are hoping to turn their Twenty20 fortunes around when face depleted Proteas as they have won just one of their last eight Twenty20 series, with victory coming against lowly Zimbabwe. But they are seeking a return to the form that saw them win 11 series in a row from September 2016 to November 2018, lifting them to the top of the world rankings. Pakistan’s spirits are riding high after beating South Africa by 95 runs in Rawalpindi on Monday to take the two-match Test series 2-0 — their first win over South Africa since 2003. “The result of Test series will have an impact on the Twenty20 series,” Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis told reporters during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “I can’t predict the ultimate result of the T20 series, but you will definitely see good results.”

Waqar was the bowling coach when a second-string Sri Lanka routed Pakistan 3-0 at Lahore in 2019. The result saw Sarfaraz Ahmed being stripped of the captaincy and Babar Azam was chosen as the white-ball skipper before eventually being named as all format captain after Pakistan lost the Test series in England last year. This time around, Waqar is not underestimating the second-string South Africa without their T20 regulars — captain Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. They were all part of the Proteas Test squad in Pakistan but flew home as South Africa planned to prepare for the three-Test series against Australia, which was postponed. The South Africa Twenty20 squad were en route to Pakistan when Australia pulled out of the series and eventually it was too late for the Proteas to keep some of the members of Test squad in Pakistan.

Still, Waqar refused to take the new-look South Africa side lightly. “They are an international team and we need to play to our potential to finish a perfect season,” he said. Pakistan have left out senior batsman Mohammad Hafeez because of his commitments to the T10 league in Abu Dhabi. He has been in supreme form recently, scoring 415 runs in 10 matches with an average of 83.00 and a strike rate of 152.57 — the most by any player last year. Hasan Ali, who returned to international cricket in the Test series against South Africa after two years due to injuries, is part of Pakistan’s Twenty20 squad with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf to give Pakistan a formidable pace attack. Legspinner Usman Qadir, who was named man of the series in Pakistan’s home Twenty20 series against Zimbabwe last year, and uncapped leggie Zahid Mahmood are Pakistan’s slow bowling options.

Hasan completed a match-winning ten-wicket haul in Rawalpindi. But it was only two years ago that he was almost lost to Pakistan cricket. His body was repeatedly letting him down. His groin, his back, his ribs, everything seemed brittle. There was even talk of surgery. It troubled him enough that he wondered if he would ever play cricket again. “Hasan is a great character,” Waqar said. “He was coming from injury and the way he performed, hats off to him. This must not be forgotten that Hasan got so much success at a very early age but then was suddenly plunged into oblivion due to injury and was in a very tough situation.”Hasan even lost his national contract, but he didn’t give up. After an extensive rehabilitation programme, he returned pretty much to his very best at the recent Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and captained Central Punjab all the way to the final, where he scored a century and picked up five wickets. The game ended in a tie and Hasan emerged as the Player of the Series for his 43 wickets at 20.06. That performance put him back on the national radar and he is back leading Pakistan to victories.

Waqar also opened up about carefully managing left-arm pacer Shaheen’s workload. “All our medical panel and trainers are keeping a close eye on Shaheen’s workload. Since Pakistan Super League is coming up next and franchises want their main players to play all matches, so we will have to make a call regarding how many matches he will play against South Africa,” he said.

South Africa will be led by wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen, who hopes his newcomers will grab their opportunity. “South Africa has got loads of talent, which people sometimes don’t see because we only have six franchises,” he said. “We are by no means a second-string T20 squad, and we are looking to win.” Klaasen knows the toll Covid-19 has taken on global cricket having recovered from the virus himself. “I am fit and I am safe — and I can play cricket again,” he said. “For the last three weeks, I have been able to train really hard in South Africa and now I am on course.” He said his side would be giving their best in the upcoming series of the game’s shortest format. “Look it was different Test squad and as I was not involved in that series, fairly I have no comment over that series. But yes in the T20 series our boys will be giving their best as they are here to represent their country,” said Klaasen. There are three uncapped players, fast bowler Okuhle Cele, wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Rickelton and batsman Jacques Snyman, as South Africa look to form a pool of players before the Twenty20 World Cup later this year. The second and third matches of the series are on Saturday and Sunday, also in Lahore.

Squads (from):

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Hussain Talat, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Zafar Gohar, Faheem Ashraf, Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir, Zahid Mahmood.

South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen (captain), Nandre Burger, Okuhle Cele, Junior Dala, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Janneman Malan, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Jon-Jon Smuts, Pite van Biljon, Glenton Stuurman, Jacques Snyman.