Key occasions
We get an overhead glimpse of the stadium, which is gloriously solely a puma’s leap from the seashore, looking over the Bay of Bengal. Here comes Shaun Pollock with the trophy, because the groups mill about earlier than the anthems.
An early e-mail. “Good morning Tanya.” Hello Krishnamoorthy v!
“Could you tell me if you are serious about the shoulder pads? (I am not seeing any live coverage, trusting the ever reliable OBO)
“A XXL tee would have been cheaper if the purpose was to hide that paunch.”
I solely had a 5 second glimpse however he had suspiciously sq. and enormous shoulders to go alongside the XXL-size character.
It seems to be scorching on the market, the group fanning themselves with their six indicators. Bavuma stated that he too would have batted first on a tasty-looking pitch.
Teams
Two adjustments for Pakistan: Hasan Ali is ailing and is changed by ,Mohammad Wasim; Mohammad Nawaz replaces Usama Mir.
Pakistan XI: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf.
Three adjustments for South Africa: Bavuma returns, alongside Shamsi and Ngidi – Hendricks, Coetzee and, to some shock, Rabada sit within the dugout.
South Africa XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Gerald Coetzee, Lungi Ngidi
Pakistan win the toss and can bat!
Ravi Shastri in shades and shoulder pads introduces the captains. Babar calls accurately and choses to bat first in a sultry Chennai, and says he’s is feeling snug about his batting and looking out ahead to being on the market.
Preamble
Good morning! Now that England have toppled their crown into India’s equal of the Wash, time to show to one of many robust pretenders: South Africa. The males in inexperienced and sand have misplaced simply one in every of their video games – a humiliation by the Netherlands – and are purring sweetly towards the semi-finals.
All the cogs are freshly oiled, all of the springs tightly sprung, with captain Temba Bavuma returning after his substitute Reeza Hendricks did simply dandy in opposition to England: the runs, they simply carry on flowing.
They play the opposite males in inexperienced, Pakistan, languishing in sixth and with three defeats of their current out field. Pakistan have additionally been hit by an ominous vote of confidence by the board – who urged followers to proceed supporting them on the one hand, whereas with the opposite placing the boot into captain Babar Azam and coach Inzamam ul Haq. Pakistan want Babar to out of the blue fireplace, alongside the unusually subdued seam assault – one other loss and they’d be counting on a succession of banana skins hitting all of the groups above them. A workforce that traditionally thrives on unlikely comebacks, Pakistan’s marketing campaign correct should begin now.
Play begins at 9.30am BST, the forecast in Chennai is for solar and cloud – 31 levels and with excessive humidity.
Discussion about this post