 Pakistan will play South Africa in the first semi-finals of the ICC World
T20 on Thursday at Trent Bridge, Nottingham to decide who will feature in the
finals of this second edition.
South Africa had topped Group E with a 100% win record, after beating England,
West Indies and India in the Super Eights, while Pakistan lost their first game
to Sri Lanka, but then went on to win easily over New Zealand and Ireland and
rolled over to the semi-finals.
The venue of this game will have a reasonable bearing on the team composition
for both the sides. Nottingham had earlier seen India and South Africa play
a low-scoring game, which saw the track supporting spin to an extent that even
the Indian batsmen struggled on it. If the same track, or another of similar
nature gets used for the semi-final, then one may see both the teams stuff their
sides with spin bowlers and batsmen who can bowl a lot of slow bowling.
Pakistan will rely on Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal in their
attack, but it will be the bowling of the quick bowlers that will make the difference;
one way or the other. Mohammad Aamer has had a decent game or two but
South Africa will look to go after him in a bid to up the ante before the spinners
come into the attack. Abdul Razzaq is at best steady, but his real test
after the comeback to international fold will come in this game against a quality
opponent like this. Unlike most of Pakistan's other quick bowlers, Umar Gul
has been consistent with his line and length and his bowling from the 10th over
onwards has been difficult for most of the opponents.
How South Africa handles him will go a long way in allowing them to get to
a total that they will feel comfortable with.
Pakistan, on the other hand, will look up to the top-order to continue batting
in the manner they have in the last couple of games. Kamran Akmal had
been criticised by his captain Younus Khan for not taking enough responsibility,
but after that he has overcome the early dismissals and played as an opener
after the exclusion of Salman Butt.
Younus Khan himself has batted well to see his team through and the South African
bowlers will look to attack him from the word go, while Afridi looks like his
batting is getting to that level where he can try and bat at number six. However,
the South African bowling will definitely test his new-found batting resolve
and it could result in an interesting battle!
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