Pakistan to Tour South Africa (Schedule Confirmed) [Archive] - PakPassion

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Saj

5th June 2012, 09:48

25 – 28 Jan Fri – Mon SA Inv XI Pakistan 4 Day Tour Match East London

01 – 05 Feb Fri – Tue South Africa Pakistan 1st. Test Johannesburg

14 – 18 Feb Thur – Mon South Africa Pakistan 2nd. Test Cape Town

22 – 26 Feb Fri – Tue South Africa Pakistan 3rd. Test Centurion

01 Mar Fri D/N South Africa Pakistan 1st. T20 Durban

03 Mar Sun Day South Africa Pakistan 2nd. T20 Centurion

06 Mar Wed D/N SA Inv XI Pakistan 1 Day Tour Match Kimberley

10 Mar Sun Day South Africa Pakistan 1st. ODI Bloemfontein

15 Mar Fri D/N South Africa Pakistan 2nd. ODI Centurion

17 Mar Sun Day South Africa Pakistan 3rd. ODI Johannesburg

21 Mar Thur Day South Africa Pakistan 4th. ODI Durban

24 Mar Sun Day South Africa Pakistan 5th. ODI Benoni

Down2Earth

5th June 2012, 09:50

only one 4 day warm up before the 3 tests, that won't be enough.

James

5th June 2012, 09:52

If not the final frontier, it is certainly a final frontier.

Come on Pakistan. Continue your rise up the rankings, and help to maintain England's number one spot ;-)

Hamxa89

5th June 2012, 09:59

3 Tests, 2 T20s and 5 ODIs. THIS is what you call a proper tour!!

I hope the buildup, with regard to our preparation, is perfect for this tour. We'll surely be needing it..

Test matches will hopefully providing thrilling cricket. Both teams are on top of their game currently and hope to remain so till the time. Too excited for this :) !!

MR__KHAN__JI

5th June 2012, 10:02

still 7 months away

Saj

5th June 2012, 10:04

This is going to be a thorough test of the Pakistani batsmen's mental resolve and their technique.

This tour is not for the faint hearted !

Wasim_Waqar

5th June 2012, 10:08

It will be tough.

We need our pacemen to fire.

Bullet Drive

5th June 2012, 10:08

Shall be an amazing series. Batsmen will be tested. This is the tour which will separate the men from the boys.

Bowlers should enjoy them selves. They are finally not bowling in that horrible heat and those flat decks we find in Asia(UAE/SL). They finally will have some bounce etc. I feel Gul will do well due to his natural back of the length bowling style.

Ajmal I feel won't enjoy him self here as much but we'll wait and see. Massive tour for him it will be.

Good luck Pakistan. Hopefully we can win this series but it will be a very very tough task. Probably our hardest upcoming series.

James

5th June 2012, 10:15

Ajmal's greatest test.

speed

5th June 2012, 10:21

i think we should just throw in zia ul haq if not than juniad should def play in sa as he is a swing/ seam bowler and will be better suited to the conditions rather than sami or cheema.

Torpedo

5th June 2012, 10:22

I can't wait for this tour. They need one more tour match before the test series.

We need a repeat of the below. :yk

NCO-JxJTLvQ

Ahson Afzal

5th June 2012, 10:22

We'll need a really good paceman
Hopefully zia is ready by that time

Pakistaniboy

5th June 2012, 10:25

Have any sub-continent team ever won a test series in SA?

Because I have a feeling that we`ll win the test series even though its very very difficult! :)

attock

5th June 2012, 10:27

Good stuff.....

I hope we find some good fast bowlers before that.....

Hamxa89

5th June 2012, 10:53

Ajmal's greatest test.

Are the Saffers really that good against spin? :ajmal

Hamxa89

5th June 2012, 10:55

We are definitely a fast bowler short atm. Hopefully we find a good one by the time.

pakistanigoneaussie

5th June 2012, 10:58

id like to see sadaf hussien bowl there

Pakprideuk

5th June 2012, 11:22

Get Wahab Riaz in there!! Bowling at 90mph to Graeme Smith.. He'll get plenty of bounce!

Jo_Don

5th June 2012, 11:28

Going to be a great series, really looking forward to it.
Have any sub-continent team ever won a test series in SA?

Because I have a feeling that we`ll win the test series even though its very very difficult! :)
Nope, only two drawn series - 1 by Pakistan in 1998 and 1 by India in 2010.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/team/3.html?class=1;filter=advanced;home_or_away=1;oppo sition=25;opposition=6;opposition=7;opposition=8;o rderby=start;template=results;type=team;view=serie s

BoomBoomCricket

5th June 2012, 11:43

It will be Dav Whatmore's biggest challenge as coach.

Pakistan will do well just to win a test & draw the series.

I rate our test team highly & feel it is the best team possible & one of the best Pakistan have produced in the last couple of decades, but even then I will not be surprised if they get battered in this test series.

Pakistan have never won a test series in SA.

The last time they were in SA was in 2007 just before the World Cup & they were comprehensively beaten across all formats of the game, but did manage to win a test.

wrongun

5th June 2012, 11:54

Are the Saffers really that good against spin? :ajmal

You think he'll even get to see a dry wicket on tour ? I'll be surprised if you can tell the outfield from the pitches on day 1 of each test.

Pakprideuk

5th June 2012, 11:54

Preparation is going to be the key. Dav Whatmore will need to ensure that the likes of Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Hafeez are sent there earlier to get acclimatised to the conditions. You don't see pakistan do that but if Pakistan have a successful Sri Lanka series then the SA tour will be even more crucial.

Also SA wickets are likely to have bounce to suit morne morkel, Steyn, Philander, De Lange. They know pakistan don't have any out and out fast bowlers any more so wickets are going to be fast and bouncy especially at Joburg. We have to make sure we invest in Wahab and Talha for that tour, get them to improve their wrist positions and accuracy because they can bowl quick!

w8in_4_0402

5th June 2012, 12:01

Big series Aaffers in their own backyard.

Will have to play exceptional cricket.

speed

5th June 2012, 12:01

hopefully haffez is not in the test team when the tour happens a player so poor against the new ball opening in sa against dale steyn, just asking for trouble.

Centurion

5th June 2012, 12:35

Jo_Don

5th June 2012, 12:59

The key to winning the test series will be a good pace attack because the saffers welcome SC teams with green mambas. Pakistan need to test a few young fast bowlers who can support Gul and make good use of the bowler-friendly conditions. Are there any exciting tall pacers in Pakistani domestic circuit currently?

IMO it would be better to focus on finding batsmen who are able to negotiate swing and bounce.

The team that drew in 1998 had a bowling lineup consisting of Wasim, Waqar, Akhtar and Saqlain - a great bowling lineup, but they couldn't pull it off. If the batting was better, they might have.

Boi

5th June 2012, 13:02

Misbah's biggest challenge as captain. I've got a feeling him and YK will retire after this series, especially if we manage to win it. :)

BoomBoomCricket

5th June 2012, 13:08

Misbah's biggest challenge as captain. I've got a feeling him and YK will retire after this series, especially if we manage to win it. :)

Maybe after Champions Trophy a couple of months later

pakistanigoneaussie

5th June 2012, 13:11

Maybe after Champions Trophy a couple of months later

yeah i see that being misbah and yks last odi

sehsan

5th June 2012, 13:21

PCB should learn how to make schedule by looking at the fixtures RSA board have set. All the test matches wills start on Thursday or Friday. Out of 2 T20, 1 is on Sunday. Out of 5 onedays, 3 are on Sunday.

Bullet Drive

5th June 2012, 13:31

cricketworm

5th June 2012, 13:40

If not the final frontier, it is certainly a final frontier.

Come on Pakistan. Continue your rise up the rankings, and help to maintain England's number one spot ;-)

Hah! Hah! Hah!

Before that England will be hosting SA and we will be hosting England! I am sure lot of things will be clear WAY before this tour of Pak vs SA.

carbon11

5th June 2012, 13:45

LegCutter

5th June 2012, 13:46

This is going to be a bloody brilliant tour! Oh my God, screw the T20 world cup, this is the real deal. Oh how I would have loved to see a MoYo and Younis Khan partnership against Steyn and Philander!

talha3

5th June 2012, 13:46

Can't wait for this.

This will be team Misbah's ultimate test. I'm confident in the bowlers but the batsmen will be key if we're going to take something away from the test series.

Taufeeq actually has a great record in and against South Africa. Azhar will be tested but he showed promise against the moving ball in England in his debut series so I'm not concerned about him. Younis and Misbah are past their peaks but hopefully they have the experience and class to stick it out. But the real concerns are the opening spot and the number 6 spot. Even as a Hafeez fan, I fear for him against the prospect of Steyn, Morkel and Philander in South Africa. The same applies to Shafiq. Perhaps it's time for Azhar Mahmood to come back, after all he has a record even better than Taufeeq's in and against South Africa...But seriously, possible replacements need to be considered.

cricketworm

5th June 2012, 13:48

The greatest Fatty :kallis ruined it for us, or else we would have won that Bhajji-Spot test.

I think last Cape Town test was the best DRAWN test I have ever seen. It had everything! Kallis' 100 in first inning, with Sree's AMAZING spell. Followed by Epic 100 by SRT against Styen on FIRE! Followed by Bhajji-Spot, turning square! Epic match saving Partnership of Kallis and Boucher the bull dog. And Resilient Standing tall Batting performance by Gambhir!

What a test match that was! It was like Draw WAS the perfect ending of that test.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/463148.html

pakistanigoneaussie

5th June 2012, 13:50

don't worry pakistan has a secret weapon he is called taufeeq umar who has a decent record opening against saffers.

in this test series pakistan should contemplate on playing three openers

taufeeq, shehzad and jamshed

with azhar at 4 and younis 5 and misbah 6.

sarfraz as wicketkeeper, with gul and 2 other seamers and ajmal as a spinner.

Dont know why taufeeq was dropped shortly after that performance. 135 against pollock, hope he recreates that, but i wont be surprised if afaq raheem or jamshed is opening instead

CricnPak

5th June 2012, 14:01

South Africa? Green, bouncy, pacy pitches...Steyn, Morne, Philander...Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers...against Pakistan? I'm getting goosebumps already.

Patriot

5th June 2012, 14:02

Need good pacers because we all saw how the Aus-South Africa series turned out. Hopefully Azhar can announce himself to the world for this series.

Scared about Steyn and Philander, especially Philander who is a beast.

speed

5th June 2012, 14:10

Strike!

5th June 2012, 14:15

Thank God its three tests.

Square Drive

5th June 2012, 14:16

:yahoo

Can't wait to see this, hoping we beat them in their backyard. :afridi

Paradox

5th June 2012, 14:40

It actually won't be that bad, we'll be facing South Africa at their weakest. They would have played 8 Tests before playing us (5 vs India, 3 vs NZ).

pakistanigoneaussie

5th June 2012, 14:56

Centurion

5th June 2012, 15:02

It actually won't be that bad, we'll be facing South Africa at their weakest. They would have played 8 Tests before playing us (5 vs India, 3 vs NZ).

India aren't playing SA before this series. We play NZ and ENG at home.

WalkingWiggett

5th June 2012, 15:40

No Durban Test on this tour? Not good for Pakistan. Saffers suck in Durban, a bit like England suck at Headingley (lost last two Tests there by an innings :))) ).

The Injuns, who looked so bad against England and Australia recently, were but one Kallis knock away from beating SA in their own den, so there's no reason why PAK can't do it. A lot will, as usual, boil down to holding onto crucial catches (Adnan's an infinitely better keeper than Kami bhai) and batting well on fast tracks. Saffers are probably favourites.

mrcricket.15

5th June 2012, 15:48

Correction: 2nd T20I at East London, not Centurion.

Centurion

5th June 2012, 15:50

@Walking Wigget
Injuns is a slur for Native Americans, who used to be called Indians, like Pakis for Pakistanis.
Got some things confused buddy.

WalkingWiggett

5th June 2012, 15:54

Didn't mean it that way, same with Canajuns for Canadians. :) As for abbreviating Pakistani to the four-letter form, there's no reason why such a diminution should be derogatory, except for the fact that many people who use the expression do mean it to be racist (but it's the intention that's the issue, not the word itself), and sometimes even use it at dark-skinned persons of non-Pakistani origin, myself included on one or two occasions past.

Savak

5th June 2012, 16:17

How about getting some more practice games in? Playing in SA is as tough as playing in Australia

sakss

5th June 2012, 16:22

now wre talking....should be smasher.. :D

MR__KHAN__JI

5th June 2012, 16:33

From another thread.....

Pak and India HAVE not won a series vs SA or Aus away in the last 30 years!!!!

In fact we have only won 8 matches between us.

1995 - Pak Win v Aus
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63699.html

Ijaz, Mushi, Inzi doing the damage.
McGrath Warne and McDermott.

1998 - Pak Win v SA
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63790.html

Azhar, Anwar, Mushie and Akhtar doing the damage.
Donald and Pollock.

2003 - Ind win v Aus
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64060.html
Dravid, Laxman and Ajit doing the damage.
Gillespie Bichel and MacGill.

2006 - Ind Win v SA
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/249215.html
Laxman, Ganguly and Sreesanth doing the damage.
Pollock and Ntini.

2007 - Pak Win v SA
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/250666.html
Shoaib, Kaneria, Inzi, yk, Kami and Asif doing the damage.
Ntini and Pollock.

2008 - Ind Win v Aus
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/291353.html
Dravid, Laxman, Tendulkar Pathan and RP Singh doing the damage.
Lee, Johnson, Clarke.

2010 - Ind Win v SA
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/463147.html
Laxman Z Khan and Sreesanth doing the damage.
Steyn and Morkel.

2011 - Pak Win v Aus (in England)
http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-v-australia-2010/engine/match/426395.html
Asif Amir Farhat and Azhar doing the damage. Yes our very own... :viv
Hilfenhaus, Watson, Johnson

Addy

5th June 2012, 16:37

More golden Duck opportunities in account for Professor! :yk

freelance_cricketer

5th June 2012, 16:39

RSA has always been the biggest test for SC batsmen. Apart from 2-3 guys, all the great SC batsmen have been humiliated there.

GujjarSher

5th June 2012, 17:10

So we're playing Australia in ODI's/T20 after this Sri Lanka series. Then the Twenty20 World Cup. Then what's our schedule until we play South Africa? Are we playing any team from October 2012 to January 2013?

saeed-sohail

5th June 2012, 17:20

98 drawn series still haunts me. It was a young team led by Sohail in first two tests. Akhtar, Yousaf, Mo Wasim, Fazal E Akbar and Azhar were unknown rookies. We were leading 1-0 after 2 games without saint Inzi, Salim Malik and Akram the great.

Enter the great Akram in 3rd test with Rashid back as captain and we get hammered in last game.

saeed-sohail

5th June 2012, 17:21

MR__KHAN__JI

5th June 2012, 17:32

saeed-sohail

5th June 2012, 17:49

Rashid was announced as captain with Sohail his deputy but he got injured before the series. He was fit after two test matches and restored.

ElRaja

5th June 2012, 18:25

cant wait, defo one of the best series pak will play in the near future, SA will be super tough though, defo need an A team tour to go out, but with limited time and general incompetence of the pcb doubt it will happen.

z-one-z

5th June 2012, 18:36

South Africa have replaced their traditional Boxing Day Test with a Twenty20 international for the 2012-13 home season, during which they will host New Zealand and Pakistan. The home summer will begin the week before Christmas, after South Africa's return from a Test series in Australia. New Zealand will play three Twenty20s, two Tests and three ODIs through January, after which Pakistan will tour for a full series in February and March.

Instead of a Test match starting on December 26, South Africa will play a Twenty20 against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth before reverting to tradition for the New Year's Test in Cape Town on January 2. "We considered three important factors when we made the decision and in the end we decided it would make more sense to do it this way in terms of this tour," Jacques Faul, CSA acting chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. "We looked at the best interests of the national team, the fairness to the incoming team and the commercial aspect. I wouldn't say the decision was only a financial one. We still feel strongly about Test cricket but we decided that to do it this way would be best."

South Africa have hosted a Boxing Day Test every year since readmission in 1992, except on the five occasions they have been on tour in Australia. An agreement was subsequently reached with Australia to ensure South Africa does not play there over the Christmas period to ensure the national side is at home in peak season. Three times, the Boxing Day Test has been played in Port Elizabeth, when it was first held in 1992 and again in 1995 and 2007, and every other time Durban's Kingsmead Stadium has played host to the fixture.

Despite it being a match that is considered integral to the cricket season, South Africa's Boxing Day Test has had its problems. Crowds have declined steadily over the years, resulting in less advertising and an overall financial burden rather than gain. Durban, which is a popular holiday destination in South Africa, sees people choose to spend the day at the beach rather than the cricket and the fixture was moved to Port Elizabeth in 2007 in the hope of an improved attendance. St George's Park did not produce the desired crowds and resulted in a South African defeat to West Indies and the match was moved back to Durban in 2009. South Africa have also not won a Boxing Day Test at home since then.

At the end of last season, sources close to CSA mentioned that it would make better economic sense to host T20s over the holiday period. The theory has some substance as people had packed venues around the country for the domestic 20-over competition when it was it was held in January (still part of school holidays) when the national team were in Australia in early 2006 and 2009. However, the current fixtures, which see T20s played against New Zealand on December 21, 23 and 26 leaves out prime dates from the 27th to the 31st of December, during which New Zealand will play a tour match in Paarl.

ESPNcricinfo understands that South Africa's poor record in the Boxing Day match, when the team usually has their families accompanying them, also influenced the decision to do away with the match. Although the scrapping of the Boxing Day Test marks a massive break with convention, Faul stressed that this was not the end of the road for the traditional match. "We could definitely see a Boxing Day Test next season or in the future," he said.

As a result of the revised schedule, Durban has been left without a Test match for the entire season and will have to make do with two T20s - against New Zealand and Pakistan - and an ODI. Cape Town, which usually gets large crowds, will again host two Test matches, while Port Elizabeth gets its first Test since 2007. Johannesburg and Centurion have been given the remaining two Tests.

New Zealand's three T20s will be held in Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth and the three ODIs in Paarl, Kimberley and Potchefstroom. Pakistan's tour consists of three Tests and five ODIs at venues including Bloemfontein and Benoni. The addition of smaller venues to international schedule is in keeping with CSA's rotation policy and as a result of the attendance last season, when Sri Lanka's ODI series was played mainly at the lesser known grounds.

"East London and Paarl, who had been off the international roster for some time, attracted more than 25,000 spectators for the two ODIs that they hosted," Faul said. "These two provinces are very strong growth areas for the game, [and help] fulfil our mandate of making cricket a truly national sport."

South Africa toured New Zealand in February and March 2012, winning the three-Test series 1-0 and sweeping the ODIs 3-0. New Zealand registered their only win of the tour in the Twenty20s, but South Africa claimed that series as well, 2-1.

The previous bilateral series between Pakistan and South Africa was in 2010-11, in the UAE; the Tests were drawn 0-0, and South Africa won in both limited-overs formats.

James

5th June 2012, 19:20

Are the Saffers really that good against spin? :ajmal

They're not amazing against spin - but the pitches and conditions have traditionally not been spin-friendly, and thus not been conducive to producing quality spinners.

Consider, for instance, that Imran Tahir is one of the better spinners to have represented South Africa. He isn't even that good.

A touring spinner will always be challenged.

12cavalry

5th June 2012, 19:26

ATLAST!

Getting tired of these slow subcontinental tracks. Hope we can find a decent pace bowler by than. It'll be a tremendous challenge for our batsmen.

Dolphins

5th June 2012, 22:08

Really excited for this series. We need to groom some young bowlers and batsmen to prepare for this series.

whyamir

5th June 2012, 22:18

cmoon! They couldn't have scheduled it before December 21, 2012? The world we live in will cease to exist past December 21/12 so why would they schedule a series after that date?

:yk

Canistani Hero

5th June 2012, 23:25

Will be harshly contested. Hopefully the boys won't get too fatigued/homesick being overseas for such a long time.

PlanetPakistan

6th June 2012, 00:53

M Yousuf should be considered for this tour. There is also a need a get one(preferably 2) fast bowlers ready to support Gul.

LastLaugh_PK

6th June 2012, 02:30

We could be going into this series with SA being the number 1 test team. If I were a SA supporter I would be praying that it won't be a whitewash. :yk

MMHS

6th June 2012, 03:43

I just wonder, in this series, had the 2 bowlers (AA) been around, for whom I would have put my money.

Nevertheless, UCBSA ha slotted the top 3 venues (would have loved to see Durban though) for this tour & the tour is in the second half of SAF summer, meaning the wickets 'll be settled & 'll take more spin. This 'll be a great contest - unless it rains for 2 days, all 3 Test 'll end up with direct result & though SAF are my favorite to win, it 'll be 2-1 (may be even either side). There is only 1 4 day match, but PCB can always send the specialist Test players 2 weeks earlier.

The Test matches are before the ODI, therefore most of the players (common in ODI & Test team) 'll get enough time to acclimatize & ODI series 'll be much closer.

Lachrymose

6th June 2012, 04:46

Looking forward to this!

Bullet Drive

6th June 2012, 11:17

Mohammed Irfan for sure will be needed ;)

Amjid Javed

6th June 2012, 11:44

waqar_ahmad

6th June 2012, 12:30

If Pakistan can win the test series, this team will be acknowledged by most non-pakistani fans as one of the great teams, managing to do what no SC team has done.

The key to winning the test series will be a good pace attack because the saffers welcome SC teams with green mambas. Pakistan need to test a few young fast bowlers who can support Gul and make good use of the bowler-friendly conditions. Are there any exciting tall pacers in Pakistani domestic circuit currently?

Gul is NOT a good test fast bowler. We need to find a fast bowler who has the talent that pakistani fast bowlers have, and just come out of nowhere. Jus like Aamir, Asif, SHoaib, waqar, etc. Youngsters coming out of nowhere and getting batsmen out of sheer talent.

Gul has always been, and will always be, a support bowler. Fate has pushed him into leading the attack. He is not good enough for that

Bullet Drive

6th June 2012, 12:33

Gul is NOT a good test fast bowler. We need to find a fast bowler who has the talent that pakistani fast bowlers have, and just come out of nowhere. Jus like Aamir, Asif, SHoaib, waqar, etc. Youngsters coming out of nowhere and getting batsmen out of sheer talent.

Gul has always been, and will always be, a support bowler. Fate has pushed him into leading the attack. He is not good enough for that

Averaged 20 against England(NO1 team) on flat wickets in a very hot country. England the team who play pace bowling the best struggled against Gul.

2 four-fers in 3 tests on very very flat decks where spinners were used the most.

MMHS

6th June 2012, 15:45

This tour will be very tough!

1) Pakistans Top 6 will need to bat very well during series

2) Pakistan are going to have to find some decent fast bowlers to play in the series

3) Pakistan problem with tail starting at 7/8 is going to have to be looked at as this will be exposed in S.A

Actually, I think, first priority 'll be to hold on the catches behind the batsmen. SAF & Aussie wickets are fast & bouncy, 70-80% dismissals happen through catching. I think, last time the series was 2-1 SAF, could have been even 0-3, had the teams could have swapped the fielders. Asif was unplayable most of the time.

Rana

6th June 2012, 15:47

Big, Big series in world cricket!!!

saeed-sohail

6th June 2012, 17:00

Slip catching has been good with likes of YK and Taufeeq Umar.

Bullet Drive

6th June 2012, 17:14

Slip catching has been good with likes of YK and Taufeeq Umar.

& Azhar Ali in the gully!

Strike!

23rd July 2012, 18:32

After today's match i feel excited about this test series, A pity it's still so far away.

freelance_cricketer

23rd July 2012, 18:39

Gonna be real hard for Team Pakistan without a strong pace attack. South Africa are looking as good as ever.

cricketpassion

23rd July 2012, 19:42

It will be tough series for Pakistan. Batting wise i think we are settled ( I mean these are best we have) but struggling with fast bowling.

23rd July 2012, 19:49

I expect us to lose both the ODI and Test series comfortably.

Unless something dramatic happens and we find some good attacking players within six months.

LastLaugh_PK

23rd July 2012, 19:52

I expect us to lose both the ODI and Test series comfortably.

Unless something dramatic happens and we find some good attacking players within six months.

So much optimism

Amjid Javed

23rd July 2012, 20:05

With our fast bowling resources being pretty **** poor i can only see this series being 2-0 S.A sadly.

Ironcat

23rd July 2012, 20:13

Dang. Only a 4-day match to practice?

23rd July 2012, 20:15

So much optimism
Let's try to face the harsh reality.

Our team is poor.

Markhor

23rd July 2012, 20:17

This will be a really difficult test for Pakistan, especially for the younger players. People have talked about the progress we have made under Misbah's captaincy but this will be a true barometer of how far we have come as a side since the dark days of August 2010.

Our bowling lineup needs to click, and we need our fast bowlers to be on form. Look at the way the South African batsmen have dismantled England in the first Test at the Oval. With the inconsistent Umar Gul who some would say is not a new ball, lead the line pacer but more of a support bowler, the erratic Mohammad Sami and the young, inexperienced Junaid Khan, we need to sort out the fast bowling department quickly.

It will be a difficult test for our batsmen, they should try to play straight and hit the bad balls.

The first test will be at Johannesburg, a pitch that usually offers bounce and we struggled there against New Zealand in the 2009 Champions Trophy. Cape Town tends to favour the spinners so Ajmal will be key along with Hafeez who will be a useful second spin option (that is if we are not playing Abdur Rehman) however both sides performed poorly with the bat in the 2007 series and Bob Woolmer was rather irked by the conditions (http://www.cricketweb.net/article.php?CategoryIDAuto=%2014&NewsIDAuto=3256) so it is vital to have a settled opening combination - are we going to retain Taufeeq Umar ?

Mohammad Hafeez as Test opener against the likes of Steyn, Morkel and Philander is also a worrying prospect. At Centurion the ball tends to come onto the bat and is a bit quicker than other South African pitches.

The tour is about right - 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and 2 T20s is enough, we need plenty of preparation, I'm not sure one 4 day warm-up match is adequate.

shahrukh619

23rd July 2012, 21:43

If not the final frontier, it is certainly a final frontier.

Come on Pakistan. Continue your rise up the rankings, and help to maintain England's number one spot ;-)

But but but, captain is misbah

LastLaugh_PK

23rd July 2012, 21:45

But but but, captain is misbah

It is because of Misbah's captaincy that we are number 4th on the test rankings..

Strike!

23rd July 2012, 22:33

I feel in this series our youngsters Shafiq and Azhar will have a big role to play.

Bilal7

23rd July 2012, 22:36

Junaid Khan may end up being our main bowler for this series. Our batters will do well, I predict.

saj001

23rd July 2012, 22:53

If only we had Asif and Amir.

SA will out bat and out bowl us.

IAJ

23rd July 2012, 23:36

Some posters are underestimating Pakistan's bowling and that is a dangerous thing.

The way Junaid Khan was bowling on flattest of tracks in SL, he will be a big threat to South Africans. Even guys like Amla and Kallis will struggle.

Professor will take care of Smith if he survives the opening bowlers.

Ajmal will be dangerous as usual InshaAllah. We only need a seamer to support Junaid and I hope the selectors show some courage to select Sadaf or Talha.

Our bowling will be fine, it's our batting we should be worried about.

Styen v Taufeeq and Hafeez, no I dont even wana think of that.

Hopefully we can tuk tuk SA out of the game.

LastLaugh_PK

23rd July 2012, 23:39

IMO the one batsman that will truly make a name for himself will be Azhar Ali.. I bet he will be our go to guy in every innings.. Hope he brings his A game.

LegCutter

23rd July 2012, 23:44

Umar Gul is going to be as threatening as a mosquito.

Our openers are going to fall like flies, and the whole responsibility will be on the middle order. Hafeez to the moving ball, is like Wasim Akram to Chris Martin.

We have Junaid Khan. They have Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Philander, with the no 1 ODI bowler Tsotsobe on the bench.

You guys dont realize how utterly clueless the Pakistani batting is infront of a moving ball. We made Kulasekera look like Dale Steyn, imagine what we're going to make the actual Dale Steyn look like??!

Rizwan25

24th July 2012, 00:08

Wahab, talha, junaid and Gul are must along with Ajmal. I hope we don't select Sami.

Can't wait! :junaid

waqar_ahmad

24th July 2012, 01:05

We need one good bowler to support Junaid. Gul, Junaid plus a new fast bowler, and we can perform well. This way, Gul can move to the support role, where he truly belongs

DoosraTeesra

24th July 2012, 01:36

this is going to be amazing series. Testing time for Pakistan cricket.

LegCutter

24th July 2012, 10:46

Wahab, talha, junaid and Gul are must along with Ajmal. I hope we don't select Sami.

Can't wait! :junaid

4 fast bowlers and a spinner huh?

Alamgeer

24th July 2012, 10:52

If zia ul haq performs well in aus then he should be in the squad. I remember shoaib akhtar also announced himsef in SA. Zia might do the same. Junaid, zia,gul, ajmal and rehman. No sami plzzz.

LegCutter

24th July 2012, 10:56

If zia ul haq performs well in aus then he should be in the squad. I remember shoaib akhtar also announced himsef in SA. Zia might do the same. Junaid, zia,gul, ajmal and rehman. No sami plzzz.

Is Zia ul Haq in the Aus squad??

LastLaugh_PK

24th July 2012, 15:58

I hope Zia performs in the U19 WC and is selected for the Aussie series and T20 WC..