Pakistan vs South Africa – 1st T20 International Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Pakistan vs South Africa taking place? Thursday, Febuary 26th, 2021 – 13:00 (UK)
Where is Pakistan vs South Africa taking place? Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
What is the expected weather for Pakistan vs South Africa? 25c with sunshine forecast
What channel is Pakistan vs South Africa on? The match will be televised live on Sky Sports Mix or Sky Sports Cricket (Sky channels 416 or 404)
Where can I stream Pakistan vs South Africa? The match can be streamed live via SkyGo
LAST MEETING
Pakistan beat South Africa by 27 runs
THE TEAM NEWS
PAKISTAN
- After winning the Test series 2-0, Pakistan come into this T20 series keen to do well in this format in a World Cup year and despite losing 2-1 in New Zealand in their last series, they won seven of their ten completed T20 matches last year.
- Skipper Babar Azam will lead them once again and he will be joined by all of their T20 regulars such as Hussain Talat, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain but there is more crossover with the Test team than there has been for some time now.
- Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi will all figure here but there is no place for Wahab Riaz, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim as they tinker with their line-up here.
SOUTH AFRICA
- South Africa competed well in the Test series but came away with a whitewash defeat after falling narrowly short and now they have to pick themselves up for this T20 series with an under-strength squad.
- They are without some key T20 figures in Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen and Lungi Ngidi who were all due to take part in the Test series against Australia which has since been postponed but they have still travelled home.
- They still possess some quality and experience within their ranks such as Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Tabraiz Shamsi but there are a number of new faces in the squad who will get chances over this three-game series.
THE PREDICTION
There are plenty of changes to both squads coming into this T20 series but it is the hosts who have the stronger group of players at their disposal here. South Africa won the last series they played 2-1 but it was a well-contested series with little separating the two teams. This could swing the other way in Pakistan however and the hosts have to be favoured. Their bowling attack is strong and they bat deep while their players will be extremely motivated in a World Cup year but also just prior to the Pakistan Super League which starts next week. The difference figures to be in the bowling attacks with Pakistan’s far stronger and that should lead them to victory in this opening T20.
