Pakistan and South Africa will come head to head in the inaugural One-Day International (ODI) of the three-match series at SuperSport Park in Centurion today and the records book could be rewritten.
The Proteas will be led by newly-appointed captain Temba Bavuma who has just represented them in six white-ball games while the visitors will be captained by Babar Azam.
Pakistan’s right-hand pacer Hasan Ali will not be available for the first ODI as the management believes he is not completely fit yet after contracting coronavirus.
Sources said that former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed may get inducted into the team.
The series between the greens will be played under ICC Cricket World Cup Super League. So far, Pakistan has played against Zimbabwe under the competition in which they won 2-1.
This is the first ODI series for South Africa in 2021.
The last international series between both teams was played in Pakistan where the host clinched victory in both T20I and Test Series.
Overall ODIs record
Overall, Pakistan and South Africa have cross swords 79 times.
In 50 matches, the latter bagged victory while the former triumphed in 28 games.
Pakistan’s ODI track record while playing against Proteas at their home is not impressive. Pakistan has only won 12 of 34 ODIs played in South Africa.
Pakistan has played six ODI series in South Africa while the only one it won was in 2013 when Misbah-ul-Haq was Pakistan’s captain.
South Africa remained victorious in four series while one ended up in a draw.
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The last time both teams faced each other in an ODI was in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2019 where Shaheens registered a 49-run margin victory.
South Africa at home
Proteas have lost only one of the last 12 ODIs it has hosted.
However, Pakistan is also carrying an impressive form in ODIs as it has won 8 of the last 9 matches.
Pakistani batters eye records
Babar Azam
Pakistan Cricket Team Captain Babar Azam has so far scored 12 centuries in 75 ODI innings.
If he scores another ton in this series, he will become the fastest to reach the milestone beating South Africa’s Hashim Amla who did in 83 ODI innings.
Imam-ul-Haq
Pakistan’s left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq has so far scored 1,834 runs in 40 ODI innings and he has three matches to reach the 2,000-mark.
He will become the second-fastest batsman to achieve it after Hashim Amla, who did it in 40 ODI innings.