October 20, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 7, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 19: Buoyant South Africans and revenge-hungry Pakistanis will be entering the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday amid beefed up security to clash in the second One-day International of this five-match series.

Pakistan are already 1-0 down in the contest, having lost the first game by 45 runs here on Thursday. The hosts on Saturday will, surely, be fighting to square-up the series while the visitors will be aiming to consolidate their lead.

“Our batsmen will have to play to their full potential to set a big total for the Proteas and hopefully they will not be making same mistakes they did in the first ODI,” Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik told reporters.

“A win in the second match is important for us and we will try our best to level the series before going to play the third match in Faisalabad,” he said.

Though the morale of Graeme Smith’s men is very high following their victory in Tests and in the first ODI, they will have to keep themselves composed and concentrate hard on cricket to shrug off the disturbing impact of Thursday’s bomb blasts in Karachi.

Pakistan have made just one change to the side that played here on Thursday, bringing in left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman in place of opener Mohammad Hafeez who looked out of sorts in the opening game.

Chief selector Salahuddin Ahmad told Dawn that wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal will be opening the innings with Imran Nazir on Saturday.

“Though Imran could not click in the first match, the combination of Imran and Kamran clicked in the Twenty20 World Championship and we have decided to reintroduce it in the ODI series,” he said.

He emphasised that Imran Nazir was a match-winner and Kamran had the potential to give a positive start as opener. The unrealiable middle-order comprising Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, all-rounder Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq, however, will be looking to improve on their performance on Saturday.

Pakistan’s bowling department is considerably weakened by the absence of Shoaib Akhtar (serving a ban) and Mohammad Asif (elbow injury) and will once again be banking on the ever-improving Umar Gul.

Young Rao Iftikhar and Sohail Tanvir, who restricted the Proteas commendably in the slog overs in the opening game, will be geared up for yet another spirited show. The inclusion of specialist Abdul Rehman is likely to give the home side some boost too.

The South Africans, on the other hand, are likely to retain the match-winning combination and paceman Andre Nel, who missed the first one-dayer due to fitness problem, is unlikely to find a place in the side.

With the formidable pair of Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs opening the innings, the Proteas are well backed-up by a strong middle-order comprising De Villiers, Jacques Kallis and Justin Kemp.

The visitors’ fast bowling department is led by a transformed Makhaya Ntini who had Pakistan reeling in the first game by taking first four wickets for just 55. He will be supported by the experienced Shaun Pollock and Kallis as well as the talented pace duo of Albie Morkel and Charles Langeveldt.

Like first ODI, the pitch prepared for the second match looks batting friendly, promising to offer another day of entertaining cricket for the spectators.

Teams (from):

PAKISTAN: Imran Nazir, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik (captain), Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Rao Iftkhar Anjum, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Rehman, Salman Butt, Yasir Hameed.

SOUTH AFRICA: Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Mark Boucher (wicketkeeper), Shaun Pollock, Johan Botha, Charl Langeveldt, Makhaya Ntini, Albie Morkel, Paul Duminy, Andre Nel.