Pakistan v South Africa T20s: Things to watch

Potential debutants, Babar Azam and absent stars – the talking points ahead of the first T20 between Pakistan and South Africa on February 11

Two teams keen to return to winning ways

When these two sides last met in February 2019, Pakistan sat atop the ICC T20 rankings and were undefeated in 11 series.

After winning the series 2-1, South Africa leapfrogged Australia and England to climb up to third, six points behind India and 17 behind their vanquished opponents.

Fast forward to February 2021 and the situation for both sides couldn’t be more different. Pakistan’s shock defeat in South Africa was expected to be a mere bump in the road. However, since then, they have won just two T20 series from a possible seven (defeating Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) and tumbled down the rankings to fourth.

South Africa, meanwhile, have lost eight of their last 11 T20 matches – most recently suffering a 3-0 whitewash against England in November. The Proteas haven’t won a series since defeating Sri Lanka 2-0 in March 2019, six weeks after they beat Pakistan.

With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, both sets of players will be feeling the pressure of a series win to turn their fortunes around.

Pakistan v South Africa T20s: All you need to know

A plethora of uncapped talent

Clamouring for attention in amongst the big-name franchise players (yes, Babar Azam and David Miller, we see you) and international regulars are nine potential debutants, all hoping to have a chance to shine in a World Cup year.

Pakistan have included four uncapped players in their squad: spinners Zafar Gohar and Zahid Mahmood, and all-rounders Danish Aziz and Amad Butt. With star spinner Shadab Khan absent through injury, Gohar is perhaps the most likely to make his debut. The 26-year old left-arm spinner has taken 64 wickets at 7.53 in 53 T20 matches  - including 18 wickets at 7.31 in Pakistan Super League – while also averaging 15.66 with the bat.

^{With Shadab Khan (L) injured, spinner Zafar Gohar (R) could make his T20 debut, over five years after playing his only ODI for Pakistan}

For South Africa, there are five new names in the travelling party. Fast bowler Okuhle Cele, wicketkeeper Ryan Rickelton and top-order batsman Jacques Synman received their first international call-ups for the tour, while pace bowlers Nandre Burger and Glenton Stuurman are also uncapped.

24-year old Rickelton may struggle to take the gloves off captain Heinrich Klaasen but with five half-centuries in 37 domestic matches, he could be included on batting ability alone. Stuurman could finally make his international debut after missing the red-ball tour through injury while Burger, a handy swinger with 12 wickets at 7.62 in the Mzansi Super League, may sneak a chance in the starting XI.

Pressure on Babar Azam’s batting in Mohammad Hafeez’s absence

With captain Babar Azam absent in New Zealand because of a fractured thumb, Mohammad Hafeez carried the bulk of the batting responsibility. The 40-year old scored 140 runs, averaging 70 (strike rate 160.91), and was one of only two batters – the other been Mohammad Rizwan – to score more than 50 runs across the three-match series. But after failing to come to an agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board about his entry to the bio-bubble, Hafeez is unavailable to face South Africa.

Of the players included in both squads, only Rizwan (42.66) averaged higher than 20 in New Zealand while Haider Ali and Khushdil Shah amassed a combined total of just 65 runs. Abdullah Shafique and Fakar Zaman have been dropped following their performances in December, replaced by middle order pair Asif Ali (331 runs at 18.38) and Iftikhar Ahmed (188 runs at 62.66).

^{The pressure is on Mohammad Rizwan (L) and Babar Azam (R) to anchor the batting following Pakistan’s poor performances in New Zealand}

However, with no like for like replacement for Hafeez, nor an obvious opening partner for Rizwan, the pressure is on Azam to come back with a bang. The 26-year old, ranked 21st in the T20 player index, averages 50.93 from 42 innings, including 16 half-centuries – but the big question is, can he restore Pakistan’s batting mojo?

Can Heinrich Klaasen put pressure on de Kock’s captaincy?

After leaving Quinton de Kock out of the white-ball series with one eye on the now-postponed Australia Test series, South Africa will have a new captain against Pakistan. Wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen is in line to become the 12th player to lead the Proteas in a T20 and will be hoping to cement his place as a senior player – and maybe start a debate over the team’s captaincy.

Since making his debut against India in February 2018, Klaasen has made 13 T20 appearances for his country, scoring two half centuries and averaging 24.63. However, he is yet to nail down a place in the starting XI due to some inconsistent performances.

There’s no doubting de Kock’s superiority as a batter. The 28-year old averages 31.02 from 47 matches – a figure which rises to 41.60 during his 11-match tenure as captain. However, while his batting performances have improved, South Africa have won just three matches from a possible 11 under his leadership.

De Kock was relieved of Test captaincy earlier in February and if Klaasen can pull off a series win in Pakistan, he may have another leadership battle on his hands.

^{Quinton de Kock (L), pictured batting against Sri Lanka in January, will be replaced as captain for the Pakistan series by Heinrich Klaasen (R)}

World Cup spots up for grabs without red-ball players

De Kock isn’t the only multi-format star missing the Pakistan series. T20 regulars Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis, Lungi Ndidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Rassie van der Dussen are also absent, giving players outside of the regular XI a chance to throw their helmets in their ring ahead of the World Cup this autumn.

Reeza Hendricks (average 25.44) and Janneman Malan (17.50) have perhaps the most at stake, requiring a run-fest in Lahore to have any hope of usurping de Kock and Bavuma at the top of the order. The series is also a good opportunity for death bowler, Junior Dala, to add to his 13 wickets while Andile Phehlukwayo will be hoping to assert himself as an irreplaceable all-rounder.