If Pakistan were Superman, Johannesburg would have been their kryptonite. If Pakistan were Achilles, Jo’burg would be their heels. For those who still don’t get it, Johannesburg is one of Pakistan’s biggest weaknesses. Don’t take my word for it. That’s what the stats say. For any team that has played a minimum of four ODI games at this venue, the men in green have won the lowest number of games. In fact, out of all the stadiums Pakistan have played the 50-over format at, they have the lowest win-to-loss ratio here (min. two ODI games).
Cap it all off with the fact that the third ODI game will be a pink ODI, a game where the Proteas don a pink jersey to support a cause. Pink ODIs are not the games the South Africans like to lose. Out of eleven such games, they have lost only twice, one of them was against Pakistan. Yes, the series has already been won by the visitors but boy would they want to take the challenge of defeating the hosts on a pink day at a venue that extracts pleasure in making them suffer?
Team Overview:
Ottneil Baartman has hurt his right knee and so has left the ODI squad. Is their anything worse than seeing one of your best bowlers getting injured? Yes, knowing that the list of your injured men is growing rapidly and steadily. With the all-important Test series starting four days after the final ODI, South Africa will need to find a middle ground with these injury concerns. However, the players who are not injured, need a nudge in the back too.
Despite a slow start by Pakistan, the Proteas’ bowlers could not exert their dominance and ended up getting hit for a whopping 329 runs in the second ODI game. If the first innings left the impression that the hosts’ bowling and fielding were below par, the second innings brought a surprise of its own. With the bat, the side was equally underwhelming.
Pakistan are riding a high wave, at least in this format. The bowlers have been phenomenal throughout this series, and in the previous game, the batters showed why the team enjoys playing 50-over games. What’s the best thing about this rejuvenated Pakistan is that they are doing away with relying on one player, long may it last. Saim Ayub’s early dismissal sounded like a crisis for Pakistan but the team stuck to the textbook ODI strategy and let their best men anchor the innings so that hitters can whack the total up in the later part of the innings.
Head-to-Head Matches:
South Africa has a better ODI record than Pakistan. Out of the 85 50-over games that both sides have played, the Proteas got over the line on 52 occasions. With one game ending without any result, Pakistan won the remaining thirty-two. The last time both sides played in Johannesburg, South Africa bested the game, though Fakhar Zaman went on a solo rampage to show resistance but in vain.
Weather and Pitch Report:
The Wanderers Stadium is again a high-scoring venue, thanks in big part to the true bounce on offer that helps the batters time their strokes to perfection. Usually, there is grass on the surface which makes batting a challenge early on. However, the grass tends to die out soon and when it does the surface transforms into the belter that it is. A 350-plus first-innings score, or something near it, can be expected, which has become very common at this venue, though the home side scored 117 here in the first innings of the last match played here. Fast bowlers will get plenty if they remember to hit the right lengths.
But the weather does not look so great. Johannesburg has been having heavy rain lately and more is expected during the game too.
Prediction:
Pakistan have a good chance to complete their clean sweep over South Africa, though they will have to down some challenges in doing so.
Where to Watch:
Pakistan: Tapmad, Tamasha, Geo Super, PTV Sports
South Africa: SuperSport
UK: SkySports, SkyGo App
India: Sports18, JioCinema App
USA: Willow TV
