World T20 prep begins for South Africa, Pakistan
For both Pakistan and South Africa, this is the first of seven T20 matches before the 2014 World Twenty20, and they will be looking to finalise and fine tune their combinations
Match facts
Wednesday, November 13, 2013Start time 2000 local (1600 GMT)
Big Picture
In the space of 10 days, Pakistan and South Africa will play four Twenty20s, in what can be seen as the one of the longest mini-series the format has seen to date. In reality, these are two separate contests.Form guide
Pakistan WWWWW (completed games, most recent first)South Africa LWWLW
In the spotlight
Sohaib Maqsood had a moderate start to his international career with 26 runs from two T20s matches against Zimbabwe but erased that from memory with the way he began his ODI run. Back-to-back half-centuries against South Africa showed him to be a clean hitter of the ball who is able to find good placement. He is aggressive and unafraid to show it. If Pakistan hope to turn around the indifferent batting performances from their one-day showings, they will need him to come good in the shortest format.Team news
Although Mohammad Hafeez has batted lower down the order in this format, he may choose to open to keep the same top order as Pakistan had in the ODIs. Sohaib Maqsood has been successful at No. 3 in the fifty-over format and may stay there. Shoaib Malik could make his return in the middle order with Abdul Razzaq also in line for a comeback. Pakistan may overlook him if they opt for an extra spinner in Abdur Rehman. It may also be time to rest Mohammad Irfan, who has played every match on the tour so far.Stats and trivia
- This is the only format in which Pakistan have dominance over South Africa. Of the eight matches the two teams have contested, Pakistan have won four and lost three with one abandoned. But, two of South Africa's three victories over Pakistan have come in the UAE, both in Abu Dhabi, on the 2010 tour
- Ahmed Shehzad is one run behind Aaron Finch in this year's Twenty20 batting charts, with 261 runs
Quotes
"They have the potential to beat us 2-0 but we also have the potential to do that. It's going to be a fight out there. We are not going to give an inch and I am sure they will do the same."AB de Villiers expects a tense affair as both teams go all out for victory
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's South Africa correspondent