It’s been 12 years since Pakistan has been searching for a Test victory in South Africa.
The last Test win by Pakistan against South Africa on their soil occurred at Port Elizabeth in January 2007. Wherein joint efforts by Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif and Danish Danish Kaneria to a large extent helped Pakistan bag a five-wicket victory.
However, Pakistan’s current bowling attack doesn’t seem lethal enough to intimidate South African batsmen. Even the Captain Sarfraz Ahmed has also grumbled about the lack of pace, Pakistani bowlers are bowling with.
Pakistan have won only two Tests in South Africa. Both due to extreme pace of Shoaib Akhtar – Durban 1998 and Port Elizabeth 2007. Good old days. Today, the pacers even struggling to touch 130 kmph. #RSAvPak
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 4, 2019
Though Pakistani batsmen haven’t been up to the mark either in the Test series but for the third Test beginning on Friday at Johannesburg, only Fakhar Zaman has been dropped.
Fakhar Zaman’s place will somewhat be filled with all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan’s joint efforts with the bat as well. Hasan Ali will also return for the third Test as replacement of injured Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Likewise, Yasir Shah, who just registered a world record in UAE a few weeks ago by picking up the fastest 200 Test wickets, is also being rested for the Johannesburg Test.
Some warm up fun with the players playing football,judging by the nets session appears like both Fahim and Shadab will play the next test #SAvPak pic.twitter.com/aHGSnpe1N1
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) January 10, 2019
So far, only Shan Masood from Pakistan has looked in good touch with the bat as he scored 189 runs in his four innings at 47.25 average. Babar Azam also hasn’t been that bad though as his overall score remains 151 in the series.
South Africa leads the three-match series 2-0
The next match would be Pakistan’s fourth Test at Johannesburg against South Africa. In two of previous three Test matches at the venue in 1995 and 2013, South Africa sealed comprehensive victories while one in 1998 ended in draw.
Earlier South Africa won both the Tests at Centurion and Cape Town, securing a decisive 2-0 lead in the three-match series. In third Test, Dean Elgar will lead South Africa following Faf du Plessis’s suspension.
