A series decider is a heck of time to be experimenting with your back up bowlers, but South Africa have been forced into exactly that scenario for Wednesday’s third ODI against Pakistan at SuperSport Park.
Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Andrich Nortje all touched down in Mumbai on Tuesday morning to go into quarantine ahead of this year’s Indian Premier League which starts on Friday. They’re joined by David Miller and Quinton de Kock, who with the bat played an influential role in getting South Africa back into the series at the Wanderers on Sunday.
That’s half the team that played in the first two matches absent for the last match of the series, with Janneman Malan likely to open the batting alongside Aiden Markram in De Kock’s spot, while Kyle Verreynne will probably slot into the middle order. The Proteas’ bowling coach, Charl Langeveldt, said Tuesday that Heinrich Klaasen will be the wicket-keeper
ALSO READ: Temba Bavuma is taking lessons from dramatic start to captaincy
Langeveldt has been hard at work ensuring the bowlers that didn’t participate in the first two matches - of what has been a thrilling series - are up to scratch for a match, that for many will be the biggest of their careers.
Langeveldt couldn’t give much away about team selection, mainly because that’s not part of his job. But he has been impressed by KwaZulu-Natal quick Daryn Dupavillon, who made his debut in the final ODI against Australia last year.
“He’s shown a lot of skill and been bowling well in the nets,” said Langeveldt before adding a rather enormous goal for Dupavillon to achieve on Wednesday. “He has to be our enforcer, to do the job of Anrich Nortje.”
ALSO READ: Temba Bavuma and Babar Azam hail Fakhar Zaman after dramatic ODI at the Wanderers
That is asking a lot. Nortje was the best fast bowler in either team in the first two matches, picking up seven wickets and changing the course of the Pakistan innings in both games. He will be sorely missed, and for 26 year old Dupavillon it is a big opportunity to make an impression at a fairly critical period in the growth of South Africa’s One-Day squad.
“It’s a massive loss,” Langeveldt remarked about the players who are in India, “but in saying that, it’s also an opportunity for the guys that are on the fringes. We play a World Cup in 2023 and you want to see, if our big names get injured, if we have someone who can step up. We did it against Australia, some new bowlers came in and did well.”
It will be a big test of Temba Bavuma’s captaincy right at the start of his tenure. Pakistan have played very well, with Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman producing two of the finest limited overs innings witnessed in South Africa.
If the likes of Rabada, Nortje and Ngidi had trouble against those two, it's asking a lot of inexperienced bowlers like Dupavillon, Lutho Sipamla or even Junior Dala to cause them discomfort. Perhaps the element of surprise will help.
Pakistan will be without leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan, whose toe was injured by a Nortje yorker on Sunday.
South Africa registered their first points on the ICC ODI Super League table with Sunday’s win at the Wanderers. But they’ve also been docked a point as well, for maintaining a slow over rate in the first match - an additional financial punishment was also dished out to Bavuma and the team there. The Super League will be used to determine which teams automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup, with South Africa needing to finish in the top seven.
Wednesday’s match starts at 10am.
South Africa (from): Temba Bavuma (capt), Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Rassie van der Dussen, Junior Dala, Lutho Sipamla, Wiaan Mulder, Sisanda Magala, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Lizaad Williams.
Pakistan: Babar Azam(capt), Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Saud Shakil, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir