Final test before the Champions Trophy
After hosts South Africa ran away with the T20I series, their series against Pakistan moves to the longer white-ball format as the Proteas welcome back a couple of their first-team players along with balancing out a host of injuries.
For Pakistan, their recent white-ball form has been strong and with their best players available for selection, Mohammad Rizwan will be looking to hit the ground running in the first ODI against the Proteas.
Here’s our match preview and predictions for the first ODI between South Africa and Pakistan.
South Africa vs Pakistan 1st ODI | Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25 | 17:30 IST, December 17, 2024
This will be both squad’s final preparation before the Champions Trophy 2025 next year with hosts Pakistan looking to hit top form before they defend their title in front of their home crowd.
For the hosts, they will be without their captain Temba Bavuma for the first ODI, with Aiden Markram expected to lead in absence. South Africa have Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs and Rassie van der Dussen leading the batting lineup while they see Kagiso Rabada return after a period of short rest, set to lead the bowling attack with Marco Jansen, Ottneil Baartman. With Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee and Anrich Nortje out injured, these three pacers will have to bear most of the responsibility. All-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo provides another seam option while they have also included young Kwena Maphaka, who might be the X factor for the series. Tabrais Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj will be the main spinners for the Proteas.
On the other side, Pakistan move into one of their more favoured formats, with Rizwan having his main players ready to get going. The under pressure Babar Azam, will once again have all the spotlight and eyes on him while Abdullah Shafique will be key up top with Azam and Saim Ayub, who has been impressing off late with his consistency. Ayub might not have a lot of ODI games under his belt but he’s got a lot of promise which Pakistan will look to utilise and have him get as many games under his belt as possible before the Champions Trophy.
The bowling unit will see Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain take charge with hopes of recreating what they did in Australia recently.
With their full-strength squad back at their disposal, expect Rizwan’s boys to start strong and at the Boland Park, where the seamers will have a big role to play, the Pakistan squad are the favourites to start the ODI series with a win.
Fantasy XI
Mohammad Rizwan, Aiden Markram, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi,
Venue: Paarl
Winners Prediction: Pakistan
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