Proteas, Pakistan set for exciting battle

MOHALI – Confident South Africa clash with mercurial Pakistan in an explosive Champions Trophy match today that will take the winner into the semi-finals and sends the loser home.

New Zealand’s 51-run win over Pakistan on Wednesday night gave Stephen Fleming’s Black Caps one of the two semi-final berths from group B, leaving South Africa and Pakistan to scrap for the other spot. World number two South Africa resurrected their campaign after an opening loss to the Kiwis by knocking Sri Lanka out of the tournament with a 78-run victory in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.Pakistan, who beat Sri Lanka in their first game, found New Zealand too hot to handle at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium here and were left fighting for survival.But they are optimistic they will revel in the pressure of a do-or-die battle in the day-night game against Graeme Smith’s South Africans.”We are known to fight when the going gets tough and it will be no different now,” stand-in captain Younis Khan said.”It would have helped if we had beaten New Zealand but we can’t dwell on that any more.We will bounce back just as we have done in the past.”Few expected Pakistan to remain in contention after captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was banned for four matches over the Oval Test fiasco and pace spearheads Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were sent home a day before their first match following positive dope tests.Inzamam’s experience and class in the middle-order and the pace of Akhtar and Asif will be sorely missed by Pakistan on a seaming Mohali wicket, but coach Bob Woolmer chose to downplay their absence.”What can we do about that?” the Englishman asked.”Obviously our best bowlers on paper are not there but we can’t harp on that fact.South African coach Mickey Arthur said the win over Sri Lanka had put his team in the right frame of mind for the crucial clash against Pakistan.Arthur said he was delighted the way his bowlers had responded so far, but conceded he was worried about the team’s brittle batting.South Africa were reduced to 25-3 against New Zealand before being bowled out for 108 on a dusty track at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai.Against Sri Lanka, the Proteas tumbled to 30-3 before ending at a below-par 219-9.Pakistan will be keen to take advantage of the poor form of South African openers Boeta Dippenaar (3 and 0) and Herschelle Gibbs (0 and 16), who have struggled in bowler-friendly conditions.Nampa-AFPWorld number two South Africa resurrected their campaign after an opening loss to the Kiwis by knocking Sri Lanka out of the tournament with a 78-run victory in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.Pakistan, who beat Sri Lanka in their first game, found New Zealand too hot to handle at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium here and were left fighting for survival.But they are optimistic they will revel in the pressure of a do-or-die battle in the day-night game against Graeme Smith’s South Africans.”We are known to fight when the going gets tough and it will be no different now,” stand-in captain Younis Khan said.”It would have helped if we had beaten New Zealand but we can’t dwell on that any more.We will bounce back just as we have done in the past.”Few expected Pakistan to remain in contention after captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was banned for four matches over the Oval Test fiasco and pace spearheads Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were sent home a day before their first match following positive dope tests.Inzamam’s experience and class in the middle-order and the pace of Akhtar and Asif will be sorely missed by Pakistan on a seaming Mohali wicket, but coach Bob Woolmer chose to downplay their absence.”What can we do about that?” the Englishman asked.”Obviously our best bowlers on paper are not there but we can’t harp on that fact.South African coach Mickey Arthur said the win over Sri Lanka had put his team in the right frame of mind for the crucial clash against Pakistan.Arthur said he was delighted the way his bowlers had responded so far, but conceded he was worried about the team’s brittle batting.South Africa were reduced to 25-3 against New Zealand before being bowled out for 108 on a dusty track at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai.Against Sri Lanka, the Proteas tumbled to 30-3 before ending at a below-par 219-9.Pakistan will be keen to take advantage of the poor form of South African openers Boeta Dippenaar (3 and 0) and Herschelle Gibbs (0 and 16), who have struggled in bowler-friendly conditions.Nampa-AFP