World Cup: Babar Azam’s captaincy at stake as Pakistan face must-win clash against South Africa | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Babar Azam‘s captaincy hangs in the balance as Pakistan prepare to take on South Africa in a crucial World Cup match on Friday. With a string of three defeats, a fourth loss would all but seal Pakistan’s exit from the tournament, and it may also spell the end of Babar’s captaincy.
For Pakistan, the road ahead is treacherous, and they must secure victories in all remaining matches while hoping for Australia to stumble in at least two of their forthcoming games to keep their semi-final aspirations alive.The unpredictability of the Pakistan cricket team is a well-known aspect of world cricket, where they can deliver brilliance one day and falter embarrassingly the next.
Babar Azam, the captain, is under immense pressure to lead his team with distinction against a formidable South African side. The performance gap between the two teams has been evident, even though South Africa suffered a shocking defeat against the Netherlands.South Africa’s top-order batsmen, including Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen, have consistently shown their batting prowess by hitting boundaries and sixes. In stark contrast, Pakistan’s batting approach has left them struggling, particularly in terms of boundary-hitting.
The struggles do not end with Pakistan’s batting; their bowling department has been far from potent. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s customary nip-backers have been missing in action, and the effectiveness of Haris Rauf in the 50-over format is under scrutiny. Hasan Ali’s inability to penetrate the opposition’s defences has also been a concern.

One of Pakistan’s primary weaknesses has been the dearth of quality spinners. The performances of Usama Mir and Shadab Khan have failed to make a significant impact.
In stark contrast, South Africa find themselves in a favourable position, and a victory in this match would put them firmly in contention for a semi-final spot.
De Kock, South Africa’s opening batsman, has been in sensational form, leading the tournament’s run-scoring charts. Their pace bowlers, including Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Gerald Coetzee, have been ruthless, making it a challenging task for Pakistan’s batters to counter them, even on the slower Chepauk surface.
In terms of head-to-head records, South Africa maintain a 51-30 advantage in the 82 clashes with Pakistan. This high-stakes match will shape the destiny of both teams in the World Cup, with the future of Babar Azam’s captaincy hanging in the balance.

Squads
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen and Lizaad Williams.
Match starts: 2 pm IST.
(With inputs from PTI)