Haris Rauf Out, Mohammad Nawaz In? Here's Pakistan's Playing XI Vs South Africa

image-lo6yd3h5Haris Rauf has had a horrible time with the ball in 2023 WC [AP]

After incurring three crushing defeats, Pakistan will face an in-form South Africa in their sixth group-stage game of the ICC World Cup. It's a do-or-die face-off for the Babar Azam-led outfit, as a loss could potentially end their World Cup campaign. 

Besides Babar Azam's abysmal batting form and mediocre captaincy, the performance of several key players has been a significant concern for Pakistan in the tournament. While Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan have been inconsistent, Shaheen Afridi has been the lone warrior with the ball so far. 

Talking about Haris Rauf, the ace speedster has showcased dismal bowling form, conceding 179 runs at a horrendous economy of 8.13 in the last three matches. 

So, given it's a must-win fixture for Pakistan, they might consider dropping Rauf, replacing him with Mohammad Wasim Jr. 

Furthermore, Usama Mir has been disappointing with the ball, scalping only a single wicket at an economy of more than eight. So, if Mohammad Nawaz is available for selection, he will replace him as the bowling all-rounder. 

The rest of the lineup is likely to be same as the previous encounter against Afghanistan. 

Pakistan's Probable Playing XI Vs South Africa

Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr/Haris Rauf