(Reuters) – South Africa batsman David Miller said they will need to bring their “A-game” when they face 2009 champions Pakistan in a Twenty20 World Cup clash in Sydney on Thursday.
South Africa are in pole position to take one of the two semi-final spots available from Group 2, but Pakistan, who lost to India and Zimbabwe, still have an outside shot of qualifying thanks to a six-wicket win over the Netherlands.
“We all know every game in the World Cup is an important game, and against Pakistan you’ve got to make sure that you’re on your A-game as an opponent,” Miller told reporters on Wednesday.
“… I suppose Pakistan — it’s a must-win game for them, so they’re going to be coming and charging, and we’re definitely prepared for it.”
Miller, 33, scored a fifty as he helped South Africa recover from a poor start against India and seal a five-wicket win on Sunday.
“Experience is a really valuable thing, and for example, in the previous game, we were in a little bit of trouble,” he said, adding that in the past they may have “got a little hasty”.
Pakistan bowler Naseem Shah said their pace attack had to be firing on all cylinders.
“We’re all fast bowlers just trying to bowl our best because when you bowl bad anywhere, when you bowl a bad ball, then you are in a struggle,” Shah said.
Pakistan will likely be without Fakhar Zaman after the batsman aggravated a knee injury that initially ruled him out of the squad.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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