Question.

Pakistan v/s South Africa: 2nd Test

Pakistan v/s South Africa: 2nd Test

Top ranked Test team South Africa go into the second Test against Pakistan in Dubai trying to save the series, after being comprehensibly defeated in Abu Dhabi. The Proteas haven’t lost a Test series since 2009 (against Australia), and before the Abu Dhabi reverse, they hadn’t lost a Test since early 2012, when they lost to Sri Lanka.

But South Africa must do so without star batsman Hashim Amla who has returned home for the birth of his child. This is a big blow for the Proteas as that he made a century in Abu Dhabi while most of the top order failed. Veterans Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis failed to impress, while Alviro Petersen also fell cheaply twice. Also AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis need to contribute more.

Amla’s replacement is Dean Elgar, who has played six Tests and averages 32 and the pressure will be on him in Amla’s absence. But the Proteas have been boosted in the bowling department as premier fast bowler Dale Steyn shrugged off his hamstring injury and will be playing.

As for Pakistan, Abu Dhabi was only their second win in their past nine Tests, and it was a welcome balm after losing to the Proteas three-nil earlier this year. They have announced an unchanged line-up from the first test. Their new batsmen at the top of the order, Shan Masood and Khurram Manzoor, did superbly. Pakistan’s spin duo of Saeed Ajmal and left-armer Zulfiqar Babar shared 11 wickets between them to guide their team to a seven-wicket win in the first Test in Abu Dhabi and they are expected to continue the good work.

The final eleven players are as below:

Pakistan team: Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Khurram Manzoor, Asad Shafiq, Adnan Akmal, Saeed Ajmal, Zulfiqar Babar.

South Africa: Dean Elgar, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Graeme Smith, Alviro Petersen, Jean-Paul Duminy, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir Faf du Plessis, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn.

Should South Africa lose, they will still retain their No.1 ranking but it will narrow the gap between them and England. Pakistan will finish the series at No. 4 irrespective of what happens in Dubai.

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