South Africa would be looking to go past the guiles of the Pakistani spinners when they meet up for their first Super Eights match here on Friday.
By Jaideep Ghosh in Colombo
The Pakistan versus South Africa Super Eight match can well be called a mystery versus history game.
Pakistan are the mystery-makers, with Saeed Ajmal and co. looking way too complicated for the comfort of any average batsman. South Africa, on the other hand, are the history-sheeters, choking spectacularly at every big occasion.
So when the twain face off at the R Premadasa Stadium here on Thursday afternoon, one would be excused for hoping that some of both these things is moderated and we have a match to remember.
“No,” was South African skipper AB de Villiers’ straight response when asked whether any of his batsmen was able to read Ajmal. “But we have a few areas where we’d like to attack him.”
Ajmal would like nothing better, of course.
Pakistan have looked very good indeed. They were in their elements in both games, barring some little whiffs of inconsistency. But they did the big things well. That was enough.
Apart from Ajmal, the other bowlers, including the seamers, have been in business. Though they did come in for some grief against a Bangladesh side trying desperately to stay in the tournament, the end result was pretty much the same, since the batting has been in its elements too, for most parts of the matches.
Skipper Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Nazir and Nasir Jamshed have made headlines. They have also made sure that none of the other batsmen have had to stretch that much, though Umar Akmal too is in the mode. This side looks really good.
Funnily enough, if Pakistan were to lose this game, it would be on the day their spinners, mostly Ajmal, don’t come to the party. That is something South Africa would be planning.
“They (Pakistan) are a very good team,” De Villiers further says. “They have been in the semi-finals of all tournaments and have also won once. But our focus is more on what we can do well.”
Plenty, one would assume. Though the Proteas’ group matches were shams – a non-contest against Zimbabwe and a seven-over slugfest against Sri Lanka.
But they do have the big guns, who can fire when the need arises. But they will be sorely tested, that is for sure.
South Africa have a pretty daunting pace attack, but possibly the weakest spin department in the group, something that may come to haunt them in the long run. But as of now, it would be a little premature to discount anyone.
“This is a tough group,” De Villiers observes. “There are four world-class teams here and any of them can beat any of the others on their day.
“We are also good enough to beat them all. I don’t see this as the Group of Death, but a great challenge. We are prepared for all challenges.”
Only time will tell.
