DURBAN: South Africa opener Graeme Smith is unlikely to play in the final one-day international today after his ankle flared up during Pakistan’s three-wicket win on Thursday, officials said.
Smith was unable to field for the majority of the Pakistan innings and a decision on leaving him out of the decisive match in Benoni.
“Graeme’s chronic left ankle problem has surfaced again during this ODI Series. We have been trying to manage him but unfortunately it slowed him down today,” team manager Mohammed Moosajee said.
“As things stand, he is unlikely to play in the last ODI but we will make a final decision tomorrow (Friday). He had surgery on this ankle a while ago and I think the load and the volume of cricket for the year and particularly during this ODI series has troubled him,” he added.
South African batsman David Miller is not surprised that the series is deadlocked going into the final match
“It’s two great teams and it was bound to happen that the results would go up and down like a rollercoaster,” Miller said.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his team has been improving with each match.
“Whenever you come to different conditions, you struggle and not sure when you’re starting a series, what you can do in these sorts of surfaces, but after winning two games and levelling the series 2-2 and after seeing different players perform, we are a bit sure and you grow your confidence,” Misbah said.
South Africa and Pakistan are level at 2-2 in the five-match one-day series, which serves as a warm-up for the Champions Trophy in England in June.
Pakistan: (probable) Imran Farhat, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Younis Khan/Asad Shafiq, Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal Junaid Khan, Mohammed Irfan
South Africa: (probable) Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Colin Ingram, AB de Villiers (capt, wk), David Miller, Farhaan Behardien, Ryan McLaren Robin Peterson Dale Steyn/Morne Morkel, Rory Kleinveldt, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.agencies
