BIRMINGHAM: South Africa, the highest highest-ranked team in the Champions Trophy is all set to clash with the lowest-ranked team Pakistan today.
The Proteas hammered Sri Lanka to kick off their tournament, while Pakistan were at the end of a pasting – against arch-rivals India, no less.
The two sides will enter Edgbaston Cricket Ground with a huge difference between the players. South Africa has a power-hitting team while Pakistan has no such player who could be relied on.
South Africa are favourites to win this game, Pakistan are not.
However, Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed is confident that his side could bounce back in today’s match against South Africa, just days after a humiliating defeat by arch-rivals India at the Birmingham ground. Pakistan’s crushing 124-run loss to the title-holders on Sunday saw them outplayed in all aspects of the game.
South Africa: 1 Hashim Amla, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 AB de Villiers (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Chris Morris, 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Morne Morkel/Andile Phelukwayo, 11 Imran Tahir
Pakistan (possible): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Azhar Ali, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Mohammad Hafeez, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt, wk), 7 Imad Wasim, 8 Shadab Khan, 9 Mohammad Amir, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Junaid Khan
