Kamran Akmal also showed some sparks of confidence in Centurion and most certainly deserves to be tried once again in the opener’s slot. But what is most encouraging from the Pakistan team’s point of view is that team captain – the ever ebullient Misbah-ul-Haq, is bubbling with enthusiasm and hopes to repeat at Wanderers what the team did at Centurion. He has enough reasons to feel upbeat as his batsmen are getting some runs at least and his bowlers, especially spinners have been providing ample support to his pace spearhead Irfan.
Sure it would be a different story in the absence of Irfan at Wanderers but one can very much expect Umar to provide the necessary services for the sake of the team. With Saeed Ajmal in the team the bowling attack can never be called weak by any stretch of imagination.
South Africa captain AB de Villiers is by no means deflated by his team’s total wipe out at Centurion. According to him two games that have till now been played in this ODI series have been one-sided as Pakistan did not mark its presence in the first match and South could not do the same in the second match. It was walk over of sorts of one team in each of the match. In Wanderers he feels it would be a genuine tussle for supremacy with both teams putting their best foot forward.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq is confident that his team will win deciding ODI against South Africa in Benoni.
South Africa opener Graeme Smith has been ruled out of the fifth ODI between South Africa and Pakistan due to ankle injury. The 32-year-old suffered the injury during defeat in the fourth ODI at Kingsmead.
BENONI (South Africa): The 5th and final One-Day International cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa will be played at Benoni today (Sunday, March 24).
Both the teams have won 2 matches each.
South Africa’s expected team squad: 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Colin Ingram, 4 AB de Villiers (capt, wk), 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Ryan McLaren 8 Robin Peterson 9 Dale Steyn/Morne Morkel, 10 Rory Kleinveldt, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe.
Similarly, Pakistan's big match temperament will be challenged. Twice, they have needed to come back in the rubber and twice they have. Both times, they've got the bit between their teeth early. If that happens again, they are likely to run away with it. If it doesn't, they will have to be up to clambering their way out of trouble. Shahid Afridi showed how to do it at the Wanderers but it may take more than one firework to light up the contest.
Team news:
Graeme Smith's ankle injury means that Quinton de Kock will appear for the first time in the series in the position he prefers. Morne Morkel has been declared fit to play and could come in place of Dale Steyn if Steyn's shoulder is still acting up after he hurt it in the field.
South Africa: (probable) 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Colin Ingram, 4 AB de Villiers (capt, wk), 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Ryan McLaren 8 Robin Peterson 9 Dale Steyn/Morne Morkel, 10 Rory Kleinveldt, 11 Lonwabo Tsotsobe
Imran Farhat's successful recall means Nasir Jamshed will miss out again. The only batting place up for debate is Younis Khan's. Pakistan may look to bring in Asad Shafiq in place of the underperforming Younis. If Umar Gul is available, he may replace Wahab Riaz but the rest of the bowing will remain unchanged.
Pakistan: (probable) 1 Imran Farhat, 2 Mohammad Hafeez, 3 Kamran Akmal (wkt), 4 Younis Khan/Asad Shafiq, 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Wahab Riaz, 9 Saeed Ajmal 10 Junaid Khan, 11 Mohammed Irfan
Pitch and conditions:
Known to be as lifeless as the town around it can sometimes seem, the Benoni pitch will not be expected to do anything too special. It should be sluggish, a few will keep low and it will be hard work for batsmen and bowlers alike. A typical late summer's day with warm temperatures is forecast but there is a chance of an afternoon thundershower.
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