KARACHI: Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed on Thursday urged his fellow team-mates to play “without fear” during their forthcoming tour of South Africa — a country where they have won only two Tests during their past five tours.

The Pakistani side is en route to South Africa to play three Tests, five ODIs and three Twenty20 Inter­nationals, with the first Test starting in Centurion on Dec 26.

Pakistan head into the series after losing 2-1 to New Zealand in the UAE last week. In the wake of the tough loss, Sarfraz said he still had high hopes of earning a good result against the Proteas.

“Conditions in South Africa are tough with bouncy and seaming pitches so anyone who plays without fear and with a big heart will succeed,” Sarfraz told AFP.

Pakistan’s two wins out of 12 Tests in South Africa came in 1998 and 2007, having lost nine with just one draw.

On their last tour in 2013, Pakistan were routed 3-0 and bowled out for their lowest Test score of 49 in the first Test in Johannesburg, with both senior batsmen Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq in the line-up.

Now without the two stalwarts, Pakistan will look to Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq to help guide the squad.

“We need big innings from both Azhar and Shafiq and they are capable of doing that, so if we put good totals on board we have a good bowling attack to win the match,” said Sarfraz, who also singled out recalled paceman Mohammad Amir as key to any success.

“Amir is back after a good performance at the domestic level so we hope he gets us key wickets in Tests,” said Sarfraz of Amir, who was dropped from the series against Australia and New Zealand due to poor form.

Pakistan open the tour with a three-day game against Cricket South Africa Invitation XI at Benoni from Dec 19.

The second Test is in Cape Town from Jan 3-7 and the third in Johannesburg from Jan 11-15.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2018