Three Proteas players who’ll want to go big against Pakistan
We pick three Proteas players who have the potential to be regular picks but they'll want to make the most of their chance against Pakistan.
All-rounder Wiaan Mulder will be hoping for a big ODI series, whether with bat or ball. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The first of three One-Day Internationals between the Proteas and Pakistan will be played in Centurion on Friday. It will be the first time in over a year that the national men’s cricket team will be back in the ODI arena.
Here then, ahead of the first, highly-anticipated, match, we pick three Proteas players we’d like to see get a decent chance and, hopefully, come off spectacularly.
Wiaan Mulder
It’s been a long time since the 23-year-old played the last of his 10 ODIs, against Sri Lanka at Centurion in March 2019, but the Proteas need more consistent output from their all-rounder than Andile Phehlukwayo has been delivering lately.
Mulder is an accurate bowler who is developing more variety and is capable of hitting the ball far, as his List A strike-rate of 87.67 shows.
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Heinrich Klaasen
Since he was the Player of the Series in the whitewash of Australia a year ago, Klaasen’s international career has stalled largely due to illness and injury. But the Proteas need to start thinking about a viable replacement as a finisher for the great David Miller and Klaasen has shown he can fit the bill.
One of the better players of spin in the country, he is also a composed fellow ideally suited to the madness of the death overs.
Hard-hitting batsman Heinrich Klaasen captained the T20 team recently in Pakistan. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Sisanda Magala
Deeply admired by his fellow domestic professionals and highly-rated by no less of a legend than Dale Steyn, the time has come to see if Magala can transfer his impressive franchise displays to the international stage.
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The burly 30-year-old bowls with deceptive pace and his greatest strength comes in the death overs with his potent yorkers. Batting at eight, he would also provide a powerful hitter down the order.
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