Haris Rauf And...? 3 Players To Watch Out During Pakistan vs South Africa 1st T20I 

Haris Rauf against Zimbabwe (Source:@dhillow_,x.com and @virendersehwag,x.com)

South Africa and Pakistan will lock horns against each other in the first T20I of their highly anticipated three-match series, on Tuesday (December 10), at Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban. Taking a look at the stats, Pakistan holds a better record in T20I against South Africa, having won 12 matches out of 22. 

South Africa will be without their regular T20I captain, Aiden Markram, as well as several important players, that include Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Tristan Stubbs, and Marco Jansen, all of whom are tied up with the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. In Markram’s absence, wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has been appointed as the stand-in captain for the T20I series.

On the other side, Pakistan enters the series on the back of a strong performance in their recent T20I series against Zimbabwe. The team will be strengthen by the return of star batter Babar Azam. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will continue to lead Pakistan for this series. It is important to note that, Fakhar Zaman, however, has been left out due to concerns over his form and fitness.

So ahead of this much-anticipated series, let's now see who are the three players to watch out during the series.

Haris Rauf

Haris Rauf will be a crucial player for Pakistan (Source:@CricCrazyJohns,x.com)

Haris Rauf has been in excellent form in the shortest format of the game and has been named as the leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket from Pakistan. Haris Rauf made his T20I debut in 2020 against Bangladesh, has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the most crucial figure in Pakistan's bowling attack. In just 76 T20I matches, Rauf has scalped 109 wickets, making him the highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in T20I cricket. 

His aggressive style of bowling, coupled with his ability to bowl yorkers and generate pace, will undoubtedly South African batters in the upcoming series. 

Haris Rauf's Record In South Africa In T20Is

Heinrich Klaasen

Heinrich Klaasen will be an important player for South Africa (Source:@virendersehwag,x.com)

Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa's stand-in T20I captain for the upcoming series against Pakistan, will be player to watch closely. The wicketkeeper-batter is regarded as one of the most dangerous and dynamic players and known for his exceptional skill against spin bowling. 

Klaasen is a tricky player to stop during the middle overs, often accelerating the game with his stroke-play and fearless approach and this could be expected from him during the upcoming series. 

However, Klaasen is also coming into the series with some concerns over his form. Having struggled with consistency in recent outings, he will be eager to put his poor run behind him and lead from the front as South Africa’s T20I captain. 

Heinrich Klaasen's Record In South Africa In T20Is

Saim Ayub

Saim Ayub will be crucial player 

Saim Ayub could prove to be the game-changer Pakistan needs at the top of the order in their upcoming T20I series against South Africa. Known for his fearless and attacking style of batting, Ayub has been in fine form recently and is expected to play a important role in Pakistan's quest for success in the shortest format.

Ayub’s performances in recent series against Zimbabwe in both ODIs and T20Is, have caught the eye of many and he could be a big name for Pakistan against South Africa in the T20I series. 

Saim Ayub's Record In South Africa In T20Is

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