There has been little to choose between the two sides so far as South Africa and Pakistan get ready to do battle in the fifth and final ODI of the series at Cape Town on Wednesday.
The two teams are locked at 2-2, with Pakistan’s comprehensive eight-wicket win in the fourth ODI at the Wanderers levelling matters.
With the series on the line for both teams, we take a look at the key talking points heading into the Newlands decider.
HOSTS BANK ON IMPRESSIVE SERIES DECIDER TRACK RECORD
While their defeat in the fourth ODI was a demoralising one, the Proteas can take some comfort from their recent track record in series deciders.
South Africa’s last loss in an ODI series decider came all the way back in mid-2015 when they went down by nine wickets to Bangladesh in Chittagong. Since then, Faf du Plessis and his men have won five on the bounce against New Zealand (twice), India, England and Australia.
Preserving this incredible run will be the top priority for the hosts as they look to win their fourth ODI bilateral series on the trot. Since losing the series to India at home by 1-5 at the start of last year, South Africa have beaten Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe in the ODI format and they will want to keep that winning momentum going ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England.
The hosts are aiming for a sixth straight win in series deciders.
HISTORY AGAINST PAKISTAN AT NEWLANDS
As Pakistan aim for a series-clinching win, they will know that their track record at Newlands is not one that inspires confidence. In seven ODIs at the picturesque venue in Cape Town, the Men in Green have tasted defeats on six occasions.
Their sole victory at Newlands came in their last appearance at the venue on November 2013 when they beat the hosts by 23 runs. That win broke a run of six successive losses at the venue for Pakistan and it is what the tourists will aim to repeat when they take to the field on Wednesday.
Apart from a chance of improving on their poor record at the ground, Pakistan have an opportunity to capture their second consecutive ODI series triumph on South African soil. The visitors had prevailed by 2-1 in the three-match series in 2013-14 but things have changed considerably since.
Since that series loss to Pakistan in 2013-14, the Proteas have only been beaten once at home and that came against India last year. Pakistan will be looking to emulate their neighbouring arch-rivals and do the same at Newlands.
Pakistan will look to erase their Newland miseries.
CHANCE FOR MOHAMMAD RIZWAN TO MAKE HIS MARK
The fifth ODI will present another opportunity to Mohammad Rizwan to stake his claim for a place in the World Cup squad. The four-match suspension handed to skipper Sarfraz Ahmed for his racially charged taunt to South Africa all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo has come as a boon for the wicketkeeper-batsman whose international career had stagnated following his debut in 2015.
The 26-year-old was recently handed a recall to the Pakistan ODI setup and played in the fourth ODI in the absence of Sarfraz. He did not get a chance to create an impact with the side winning comfortably but he will get another chance to audition for the wicketkeeper’s role on Wednesday.
Rizwan’s previous ODI track record is nothing to shout home about but his List A numbers are impressive with over 4,000 runs in 120 matches at an average of nearly 50. Sarfraz has struggled for form of late with the bat and if Rizwan can grab his opportunity with both hands in the decider and the T20 series to follow, it could give the Pakistan selectors something to chew on in the run-up the World Cup.
Another chance for Rizwan to stake his claim.
