Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan insisted on Thursday that his under-performing teammates believe “miracles can happen” as the former champions enter a “do-or-die” battle to rescue their faltering World Cup campaign.
After starting brightly with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the 1992 champions have been well beaten by India and Australia before being humiliated by neighbours Afghanistan last time out.
Today, they face another test of their resources against free-scoring South Africa who have four wins in five games and have shrugged off their shock loss to the Netherlands.
“We have under-performed in all three departments – batting, bowling and fielding,” said Shadab. “We have not played good cricket but have bounced back from such situations.”
With four group games to play, Pakistan can still make the semi-finals but there is little margin for error.
However, as well as victory today, they also need to improve their -0.40 net run-rate which could prove to be the tie-breaker in the race for semi-final spots.
“If you have belief, miracles happen,” said Shadab, the deputy to skipper Babar Azam.
“We have not played like we were playing before the World Cup but from tomorrow (Friday) we have to start a winning streak.”
He added: “When you are in a do-or-die position then I think the pressure is less because you have nothing to lose.”
Shadab has been one of many in the Pakistan squad who has yet to fully fire. The 25-year-old leg-spinner has just two wickets at 90.00 and scored 74 runs in three outings. He was dropped for the match with Australia before being recalled to face Afghanistan.
“When you don’t do well the criticism is valid but there are ups and downs in a player’s performance so I am confident that I will improve,” said Shadab who scored 40 in the losing cause against Afghanistan.
Shadab insists the shock eight-wicket defeat to Afghanistan in a game also played at Chennai is now behind them.
Victory, he insists, will hopefully quieten the criticism which has grown steadily since the eighth loss in eight World Cup meetings to India.
“I always tell the players that if you are going to a tournament like this, you have to cut off from the social media,” said Shadab. “If you perform then everyone says that ‘he is doing so well’, but when you are not performing then the same people will say ‘he is not good enough’.”
He added: “It’s the mentality that when someone is not in the team, then they are the best and when someone is in the team they are the worst.”
Meanwhile, fast bowler Hasan Ali has become the latest Pakistan player to fall ill and will miss today’s game.
“Hasan is unavailable for the game against South Africa,” said a Pakistan Cricket Board statement.
“He is recovering well and will be given rest to recover ahead of the remaining games.
‘I had to Google it!’: Bavuma wary of ‘mercurial’ Pakistan threat
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma admitted on Thursday that he was so stunned by seeing Pakistan described as “mercurial” that he had to “Google the word” out of respect for his opponents ahead of their World Cup clash.
Pakistan, the 1992 champions, have hit a roadblock at the World Cup with their opening two wins followed by three one-sided defeats to arch-rivals India, Australia and then to neighbours Afghanistan.
South Africa, on the other hand, have shaken off a shock loss to the Netherlands and have four wins to put them in sight of the semi-finals.
Bavuma, however, is wary of the challenge posed by Pakistan who can be frustratingly mediocre one day but devastatingly brilliant the next.
“I saw a comment that described Pakistan as mercurial,” said Bavuma on the eve of the game on Thursday. “I had to Google the word, but it spoke about how a team can be good one day and not so good the next. So, we want to make sure that when they’re good, we are so good as well.”
Pakistan have won six of the last 10 meetings with South Africa including by 49 runs when they met at Lord’s in the 2019 World Cup.
Current Pakistan skipper Babar Azam made 69 that day in a total of 308 before they limited the Proteas to 259 in their 50 overs.
Six of the South African team who played in that match are likely to start today.
“We went through the Pakistan team, the threats that they bring, their strengths and obviously their weaknesses,” said Bavuma who has recovered from a gastric problem that forced him to miss the last two matches.
“We know that they haven’t played close to their best, but tomorrow could be that. We need to make sure we are ready for that.”
Despite struggling in all three departments, Bavuma said Pakistan cannot be written off.
“Before the tournament I had them as one of the top four teams at the end of the group stages. So that’s the amount of respect that you have for Pakistan.”
Known for falling at crucial stages of international tournaments, a habit that has earned them the tag of “chokers,” Bavuma hopes South Africa’s recent performances can change the narrative.
“I don’t think it’s given us any extra motivation to be honest,” said Bavuma.
“I think we probably looked at ways as to how we can maybe divert our attention away, not necessarily using the chokers tag, but how do we address and deal with the expectation.”
Considering the spin-friendly conditions in Chennai, Bavuma said leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi could play today.
“We haven’t finalised the team. We haven’t seen the wicket yet. It’s still under covers, but definitely you can expect for Shamsi to come into play,” said Bavuma of the left-arm spinner.
South Africa have been making runs for fun at the World Cup – three times they have passed 350. They have also scored 137, 143 and 144 in the last 10 overs of three matches.
“I think that explosiveness has obviously helped us to be really destructive in the death phase. But I think it’s all due to all the foundational work that is done by the guys at the top,” said Bavuma.
Head-to-head record
Last 10 meetings
DATE VENUE RESULT
07/06/2017 Birmingham Pakistan won by 19 runs
19/01/2019 Gqeberha Pakistan won by 5 wickets
22/01/2019 Durban South Africa won by 5 wickets
25/01/2019 Centurion South Africa won by 13 runs
27/01/2019 Johannesburg Pakistan won by 8 wickets
30/01/2019 Cape Town South Africa won by 7 wickets
23/06/2019 Lord’s Pakistan won by 49 runs
02/04/2021 Centurion Pakistan won by 3 wickets
04/04/2021 Johannesburg South Africa won by 17 runs
07/04/2021 Centurion Pakistan won by 28 runs
OverallSouth Africa wins: Pakistan wins: Tied: 0
No result: 1