Time to change cricket history
23 January, 2013
The Pakistani cricket team has travelled to South Africa to play a three test match series, five one day internationals (ODIs) and two twenty20 internationals. The Pakistan versus South Africa series will start from the test matches of which the first test match will be played on February 1, 2013 at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. Pakistan has played 18 test matches up until now against South Africa. Pakistan has won only three test matches, seven have been drawn and eight have been won by South Africa. Pakistan played its first series against South Africa in 1994/95. It was a test match series won by South Africa. Pakistan hosted South Africa in 1997/98, 2003/04 and 2007/08, and the green shirts won the two test match series in 2003/04 whereas South Africa was the winner in 1997/98 and 2007/08. Pakistan and South Africa have also played a series at a neutral venue (in the UAE) in 2010/11, which was drawn. Pakistan visited South Africa after the 1994/95 series in 1997/98, 2002/03 and 2006/07. Every time we were on the losing side, whereas in 1997/98 the series was drawn. The green shirts have not been able to win a series in South Africa in the same way that they have failed to win a test match series in Australia and the West Indies. This is our chance to change history but it must be mentioned here that South Africa is ranked as number one in the International Cricket Council (ICC) test match rankings. Pakistan has defeated England, which was then the number one ranked team, but that series was played in the UAE where Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman played vital roles. The upcoming series will be played on fast pitches so Pakistani fast bowlers Umar Gul, Junaid Khan and Mohammad Irfan will have to perform extraordinarily to take Pakistan to the victory stand. MUBASHIR MAHMOOD
Karachi
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