We are back in Group B of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday and we are back to the day-night schedule as Pakistan take on South Africa in Birmingham. These two sides suffered hugely different fortunes in their first matches.
South Africa ended up being far too good for Sri Lanka in their opening game while Pakistan were thrashed on this ground by India on a day where if it could go wrong it generally did so.
Pakistan
You would have to say that Pakistan were never in their match against India. They couldn’t extract anything from the pitch with the ball in their hands and they couldn’t build any momentum with the bat. It was a day to forget for Pakistan but the problem with this tournament is you can’t forget them as they are so damaging.
I think the issue with the ball was just a bad day at the office. They usually apply themselves much better than that especially at the death where their skills just disappeared but the issues with the bat are always under the surface waiting to come to the fore and that is a different problem. It is one they need to fix once and for all.
South Africa
We shouldn’t kid ourselves into thinking that all was hunky dory in the South Africa performance in their first match as it wasn’t. For much of their batting innings they were behind the eight ball and struggling to put up a total and for the first 10-12 overs with the ball they were getting carted everywhere.
What we should recognise though is their ability to hang tough and then strike when their chances came along and that is a good thing for any side with ambitions of winning this tournament. It will be interesting to see what would happen were South Africa to chase here as there is still this chokers mentality hanging over them.
Team News
Pakistan have declared they are making at least two changes. One is enforced with Wahab Riaz’s tournament over. Junaid Khan will come in for him. The other is by choice with Ahmed Shehzad being replaced by Fakhar Zaman.
South Africa have no need to change their side but it might be that they bring Andile Phehlukwayo or Dwaine Pretorius into the side after Wayne Parnell got carted to all parts in the opening match.
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Betting
I’m going to give the match betting a miss here. I think South Africa will win the match but I’ve this niggling feeling Pakistan will be up for this one and will make life difficult for them so I’ll leave the Proteas at a short price.
I do like the boundaries here though. We’ve seen all summer long that the boundaries at Edgbaston are extremely accessible now and even in gloom and dank conditions on Sunday, India were peppering them for fun at times. Pakistan didn’t get going with the bat in that match but I fancy they will give it a better go here with them having to win and so 55.5 boundaries doesn’t look high enough to me.
The match is going to be played on the same pitch as on Sunday after rain got into the one which was going to be used so I think Pakistan could well find a hero in Shadab Khan. The young leggie was impressive with the ball against India and looked useful with the bat and if the Indian batsmen are struggling to pick him the South Africans certainly will. They won’t have seen much of him either which won’t help them. Khan has a performance line of 26.5 but that looks too low to me. I’ll side with the overs there.
It was hard to ignore how bad Pakistan were at the death of the innings on Sunday and in truth that is nothing new so David Miller should be looking forward to a go here. If Pakistan can get rid of the top three early enough then Miller becomes a major player on these short boundaries. 11/1 on him top scoring looks a touch too big to me to ignore.
Tips
VOID – Back Over 55.5 boundaries for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with William Hill
Back it here:
VOID – Back S.Khan’s Performance – Over 26.5pts for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
Back him here:
WON – Back D.Miller Top South Africa Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 12.00 with Paddy Power
Back him here:
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