South Africa vs Pakistan – 1st T20 International Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is South Africa vs Pakistan taking place? Saturday, April 10th, 2021 – 13:30 (UK)
Where is South Africa vs Pakistan taking place? The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
What is the expected weather for South Africa vs Pakistan? 26c with sunshine forecast
What channel is South Africa vs Pakistan on? The match will be televised live on Sky Sports
Where can I stream South Africa vs Pakistan? The match can be streamed live on the SkyGo app
LAST MEETING
Pakistan beat South Africa by 4 wickets
THE TEAM NEWS
SOUTH AFRICA
- South Africa come into this T20 series eager to bounce back after they lost the deciding game in the ODI series and they will have to lift themselves despite a whole raft of absentees due to injury and IPL involvement.
- Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi all departed and missed the final ODI while Rassie van der Dussen missed the game with a quad injury that looks set to rule him out of the T20s also, while skipper Temba Bavuma picked up a hamstring problem and is a major doubt.
- Without Bavuma and Van der Dussen, that leaves them even shorter in a batting department which looks weak already while the bowling is shorn of their star men so this series very much lends itself to being experimental in terms of team selection.
PAKISTAN
- Pakistan picked up a morale-boosting win in the ODI series as they won the decider and they now come into the T20s full of confidence where they will fancy their chances of getting off to a winning start.
- While the hosts are struggling with numerous absentees, Pakistan have no such issues and given how well Fakhar Zaman played in the ODIs, they have even added him to the T20 squad to add to their already strong options.
- Mohammad Hafeez is almost certain to return to the fold in this format and he adds great quality to the batting and adds quality to the middle order which has been their one weakness in the ODIs so they look even stronger in this format of the game.
THE PREDICTION
After Pakistan edged the ODI series, the two teams kick off the three-game T20 series and the momentum is clearly on the side of the tourists. Pakistan’s squad for the shortest format of the game is arguably stronger than the 50-over version and they will fancy their chances against a vastly under-strength South African side. With Bavuma struggling with injury and Van der Dussen joining the five players that have left for the IPL, this is a much-weakened home side and that hands the initiative to the tourists. With confidence, form and team news on Pakistan’s side, they simply have to be favoured to win this opening game.
