South Africa and Pakistan are ready to face off in the third Test of the three-match series, which will begin in Johannesburg on Friday. The home side have already clinched the series after winning first two matches of the series by six and nine wickets respectively. Therefore, Proteas will enter the third Test with full of confidence and will be looking to complete a series sweep. However, they will have to do it without regular captain Faf du Plessis, who is facing one-game suspension for slow over-rate.
In his absence, the team will be relying on stand-in captain Dean Elgar, veteran right-hander Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock to score bulk of the runs. Opener Aiden Markram's participation is also uncertain as he is struggling to regain fitness following thigh injury. After impressive outing in the second Test, the home side is once again expected to go in with four fast bowlers.
On the other hand, the visitors will enter the contest knowing this is their final chance to save some pride and will be hoping to put a much better show than they did in the previous matches. After back-to-back below-par performances, there are at least two changes expected in the final XI as young all-rounder Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan are likely to replace out-of-form Fakhar Zaman and Yasir Shah. In the batting department, the Green Caps will be relying on in-form Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Asad Shafiq to score bulk of the runs, whereas in the
South Africa and Pakistan are ready to face off in the third Test of the three-match series, which will begin in Johannesburg on Friday. The home side have already clinched the series after winning first two matches of the series by six and nine wickets respectively. Therefore, Proteas will enter the third Test with full of confidence and will be looking to complete a series sweep. However, they will have to do it without regular captain Faf du Plessis, who is facing one-game suspension for slow over-rate.
In his absence, the team will be relying on stand-in captain Dean Elgar, veteran right-hander Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock to score bulk of the runs. Opener Aiden Markram's participation is also uncertain as he is struggling to regain fitness following thigh injury. After impressive outing in the second Test, the home side is once again expected to go in with four fast bowlers.
On the other hand, the visitors will enter the contest knowing this is their final chance to save some pride and will be hoping to put a much better show than they did in the previous matches. After back-to-back below-par performances, there are at least two changes expected in the final XI as young all-rounder Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan are likely to replace out-of-form Fakhar Zaman and Yasir Shah. In the batting department, the Green Caps will be relying on in-form Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Asad Shafiq to score bulk of the runs, whereas in the bowling department, the onus will be on the pace trio of Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi to provide timely breakthroughs.
Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg will be the venue used for the match. Highest team score in an innings of 652-7 was registered by Australia, whereas the lowest team's innings score of 49 was registered by Pakistan.
Key Players:
Temba Bavuma – 8.5 Cr
First in the list of key players features South Africa's Temba Bavuma. The right-hander is being considered as one of the dependable batsman in the middle-order and has already registered two classy half centuries in the series. With no Faf du Plessis in the lineup for Johannesburg Test, Bavuma will have to show even more responsibility and therefore, he might not be a bad for your team at all. Bavuma has played 33 Tests for South Africa, where he has scored 1,629 runs at an average of 35.41.
Shan Masood – 8.5 Cr
Second in the list of key players features Pakistan's Shan Masood. The left-hander is undoubtedly visitors' best batsman on show in the series and has shown time and again that he has the talent and temperament to survive in tough conditions. Masood, who is valued at 8.5 Cr, is the highest run-getter in the series with 189 runs, which shows why he should be in your team for the next match. The 29-year-old has represented the Men in Green in 14 Tests, where he has scored 754 runs at an average of 26.92.
Dale Steyn – 9 Cr
Last in the list features South Africa's Dale Steyn. The veteran right-arm pacer is in great form with the ball and has already bagged 10 wickets in first two matches of the series. With the match being played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, Steyn, who is valued at 9 Cr, is the must player to have in your team as he has a fantastic record at the venue, where he is the only bowler to take 10 wickets in a match twice. Steyn has played 90 Tests for South Africa, where he has 431 wickets to his name.
