Pakistan need to find inspiration from every one of their players when they play South Africa in Birmingham on Wednesday in order to stay alive in the ICC Champions Trophy.
After falling to their rivals India without a fight, Pakistan are under pressure to find some kind of competency, and it will be interesting to see if they find that through some team changes.
The playing XI that was selected against India barely competed, and that cannot happen again, if Pakistan are to keep their hopes of making the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy intact.
One change in the playing XI is certain, after Wahab Riaz was ruled out for the rest of the tournament with an ankle injury. That might prove to be a blessing in disguise for Pakistan, because Riaz has been pretty poor of late, and living more on reputation – chief of it being that spell against Shane Watson in the World Cup 2015 – than actual performances.
Rumman Raees has been named as Riaz's replacement in the squad, but Junaid Khan, the left-arm pace bowler, will be the one who takes the veteran's place in the playing XI.
Another change in the Pakistan team for this game against South Africa is going to be at the top of the order, with Ahmed Shehzad, who was poor with the bat and even worse in the field, making way for Fakhar Zaman.
Considering South Africa are more vulnerable against spin, Shadab Khan is again expected to be given a go.
South Africa did not meet their transformation criteria in their first game against Sri Lanka – a comprehensive win – with Morne Morkel preferred over Andile Phehlukwayo. Phehlukwayo, though, could come back in for Morkel for this match.
Apart from that one possible change, South Africa are likely to go with the same playing XI that got them a comfortable win over Sri Lanka, with Imran Tahir, against his country of birth, looking to impress with the ball one more time.
Confirmed playing XI:
Pakistan: Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (C), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali.
South Africa: Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf Du Plessis, AB De Villiers (C), JP Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Moren Morkel, Imran Tahir.
