On Saturday, December 14, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the Pakistan National Cricket Team will play against the South African National Cricket Team for the third and final T20I a few hours before the match.
The dead rubber final T20I between Pakistan National Cricket Team and South Africa National Cricket Team will be played at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
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Pakistan announces Playing XI for third T20I
The PCB selection committee took a big decision and dropped the 29-year-old batsman Usman Khan from the playing XI. Usman failed to replicate his PSL heroics at the international level and failed despite getting consistent opportunities.
In the first two T20Is against the Proteas, he looked poor and scored 9 and 3. In total, he played 18 T20I matches and scored 232 runs at an average of 15.46 and struck 122.75, with just one half-century.
Usman Khan was replaced by white ball vice-captain Salman Agha in the third game. It should be noted that despite being the vice-captain, Agha was removed from the team after Zimbabwe. series because he was in great pain.
Talking about the rest of the XI, the new pairing of Muhammad Rizwan and Saim Ayub will continue to open for the side and Babar Azam He will bat at number 3.
Middle-order responsibility will fall on Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir and all-rounder Irfan Khan. Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Abbas Afridi will form a tempo trio with Abrar Ahmed as the lone spinner and Jahandad Khan retained his place in the side.
This selection of the playing XI for the third T20I means that Omair Bin Yousuf and Mohammad Hasnain will not get a chance to play for Pakistan in the series.
Pakistan playing XI for third T20I:
Pakistan (plays
Pakistan playing XI for third T20I. Salman Ali Agha replaces Osman. pic.twitter.chem/dgjSlNXAJE
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) December 14, 2024
Pakistan lost the T20I series against South Africa
The Green Men have already lost the three-match series against the Proteas after a poor performance in the first two matches. They lost the first game by 11 runs and the second game by 7 wickets.
Speaking after the series defeat, skipper Mohammad Rizwan said that they will give their all in the final T20I because they love cricket.
“(On Reeza) He bowled very well. Saim Ayub was exceptional, we lost our way after 10, the middle order is in the process of learning, we have an inexperienced side, we were looking at 220-plus but 4 They bowled very well,” he said.
“(On Irfan) He’s one of the guys we look at as a power forward and I hope he continues that. We’ve got another match and we still love cricket and we’re looking forward to playing tomorrow,” he said.
