Pakistan and South Africa will lock horns with each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in match No. 26 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cwc-cricket-world-cup/" title="Cricket World Cup 2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cricket World Cup 2023</strong></a>. Following the eight-wicket thumping at the hands of Afghanistan, the Men in Green will have to win the contest against the Proteas. Pakistan are in a perilous situation in this tournament, holding the fifth spot on the points table with two victories and three defeats.

Talking about South Africa’s journey, they are looking confident in the competition, with four triumphs and one loss in five outings. The Proteas have looked perfect in all departments of the game so far, and their endeavours will be to beat the Green Army and continue their scintillating form. In this huge contest, both sides will bank on their key players to win this massive encounter. For cricket buffs, there will be a great chance to relish a mouth-watering clash between some illustrious names.

Here are the top player battles to watch out for

3. Heinrich Klaasen versus Haris Rauf &nbsp;

<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698334745989_Heinrich-Klaasen-and-Haris-Rauf.jpeg" alt="Heinrich Klaasen and Haris Rauf." loading="lazy"><figcaption>Heinrich Klaasen and Haris Rauf. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC, Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Heinrich Klaasen has done his job efficiently as a middle-order batter for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-analysis/odi-world-cup-2023-south-africas-strongest-predicted-playing-xi-against-pakistan-7430/" title="South Africa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Africa</strong></a>. He has racked up 288 runs in five matches at a stellar strike rate of 150.78. In his team’s 229-run win against the defending champions England, the right-handed batter played a spunky knock of 109 off 67.

Noting Klaasen’s form, it will be interesting to see how he counters Pakistan’s pace attack. In the absence of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi has justified his role in the Pakistan squad, while Haris Rauf is completely out of rhythm nowadays. Rauf, who is a pivotal member of Pakistan’s fast-bowling unit, has picked up eight wickets in five outings but splurged runs at a terrible economy of 6.97.&nbsp;

In the big game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, eyes will be set on the encounter between Klaasen and Rauf. Both have faced each other in two innings of the one-day internationals (ODIs), in which the aggressive Proteas scored two runs in six deliveries while the ferocious pacer didn’t get the wicketkeeper-batter’s scalp.

<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698335062298_Babar-Azam-and-Keshav-Maharaj.jpeg" alt="Babar Azam and Keshav Maharaj." loading="lazy"><figcaption>Babar Azam and Keshav Maharaj. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC, Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption>

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is going through one of the toughest phases of his cricketing career. Under his captaincy, Pakistan kicked off the tournament with confidence, beating the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, but now, the Men in Green are in huge trouble after losing three matches in a row.

Amidst these difficult times, Pakistan team supporters are expecting their star batter to step up and lead the team from the front in the remaining matches of the round-robin stage. After failing to do wonders in the first two games of this competition, Babar looked decent with his bat against India and Afghanistan. The 29-year-old has scored 157 runs in five matches with two fifties thus far.

Against the Proteas, Babar will have to look confident against Keshav Maharaj, who will look to take advantage of Chennai’s turning track and cause damage to Pakistan. Maharaj has been the most economical bowler for South Africa in this tournament, giving away runs at a thrifty economy of 4.60. In Chennai, the 33-year-old will look to make Babar’s job difficult with his arm ball and exceptional orthodox spin.

<img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698335354086_Quinton-de-Kock-and-Shaheen-Afridi.jpeg" alt="Quinton de Kock and Shaheen Afridi." loading="lazy"><figcaption>Quinton de Kock and Shaheen Afridi. (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC, Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption>

Quinton de Kock has become a headache for bowlers in this tournament. The southpaw is wreaking havoc on bowlers, and his batting extraordinary numbers corroborate this fact. Playing five games, he has amassed 407 runs with three centuries at a magnificent strike rate of 114.97.

Following his superb form, his team will now expect him to take Pakistan’s fast-bowling spearhead Shaheen Afridi to the cleaners. The 23-year-old <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-previews/odi-world-cup-2023-match-26-pakistan-vs-south-africa-match-preview/" title="Pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pakistan</strong></a> stalwart has troubled the Proteas wicketkeeper batter in the last few years. In six innings in ODIs, Shaheen has sent de Kock back to the pavilion twice, giving away 69 runs off 75 deliveries.

Shaheen has put up an impressive show with the ball in this World Cup. On India’s batting-friendly surfaces, the paceman has grabbed ten wickets in five games at an economy of 5.97. In the must-win game, he will look to play his part efficiently and bring Pakistan back to the winning ways. &nbsp;

<p>Pakistan and South Africa will lock horns with each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in match No. 26 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cwc-cricket-world-cup/" title="Cricket World Cup 2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cricket World Cup 2023</strong></a>. Following the eight-wicket thumping at the hands of Afghanistan, the Men in Green will have to win the contest against the Proteas. Pakistan are in a perilous situation in this tournament, holding the fifth spot on the points table with two victories and three defeats.</p>
<p>Talking about South Africa’s journey, they are looking confident in the competition, with four triumphs and one loss in five outings. The Proteas have looked perfect in all departments of the game so far, and their endeavours will be to beat the Green Army and continue their scintillating form. In this huge contest, both sides will bank on their key players to win this massive encounter. For cricket buffs, there will be a great chance to relish a mouth-watering clash between some illustrious names.</p>
<h3>Here are the top player battles to watch out for</h3>
<h3>3. Heinrich Klaasen versus Haris Rauf &nbsp;</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698334745989_Heinrich-Klaasen-and-Haris-Rauf.jpeg" alt="Heinrich Klaasen and Haris Rauf." width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Heinrich Klaasen and Haris Rauf. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC, Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Heinrich Klaasen has done his job efficiently as a middle-order batter for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-analysis/odi-world-cup-2023-south-africas-strongest-predicted-playing-xi-against-pakistan-7430/" title="South Africa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Africa</strong></a>. He has racked up 288 runs in five matches at a stellar strike rate of 150.78. In his team’s 229-run win against the defending champions England, the right-handed batter played a spunky knock of 109 off 67.</p>
<p>Noting Klaasen’s form, it will be interesting to see how he counters Pakistan’s pace attack. In the absence of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi has justified his role in the Pakistan squad, while Haris Rauf is completely out of rhythm nowadays. Rauf, who is a pivotal member of Pakistan’s fast-bowling unit, has picked up eight wickets in five outings but splurged runs at a terrible economy of 6.97.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the big game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, eyes will be set on the encounter between Klaasen and Rauf. Both have faced each other in two innings of the one-day internationals (ODIs), in which the aggressive Proteas scored two runs in six deliveries while the ferocious pacer didn’t get the wicketkeeper-batter’s scalp.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>2. Babar Azam versus Keshav Maharaj</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698335062298_Babar-Azam-and-Keshav-Maharaj.jpeg" alt="Babar Azam and Keshav Maharaj." width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Babar Azam and Keshav Maharaj. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC, Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pakistan captain Babar Azam is going through one of the toughest phases of his cricketing career. Under his captaincy, Pakistan kicked off the tournament with confidence, beating the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, but now, the Men in Green are in huge trouble after losing three matches in a row.</p>
<p>Amidst these difficult times, Pakistan team supporters are expecting their star batter to step up and lead the team from the front in the remaining matches of the round-robin stage. After failing to do wonders in the first two games of this competition, Babar looked decent with his bat against India and Afghanistan. The 29-year-old has scored 157 runs in five matches with two fifties thus far.</p>
<p>Against the Proteas, Babar will have to look confident against Keshav Maharaj, who will look to take advantage of Chennai’s turning track and cause damage to Pakistan. Maharaj has been the most economical bowler for South Africa in this tournament, giving away runs at a thrifty economy of 4.60. In Chennai, the 33-year-old will look to make Babar’s job difficult with his arm ball and exceptional orthodox spin.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>1. Quinton de Kock versus Shaheen Afridi</h3>
<figure class="image" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"><amp-img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698335354086_Quinton-de-Kock-and-Shaheen-Afridi.jpeg" alt="Quinton de Kock and Shaheen Afridi." width="640" height="400" layout="responsive" style="max-width: 100%; margin: 0;"></amp-img>
<figcaption>Quinton de Kock and Shaheen Afridi. (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC, Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Quinton de Kock has become a headache for bowlers in this tournament. The southpaw is wreaking havoc on bowlers, and his batting extraordinary numbers corroborate this fact. Playing five games, he has amassed 407 runs with three centuries at a magnificent strike rate of 114.97.</p>
<p>Following his superb form, his team will now expect him to take Pakistan’s fast-bowling spearhead Shaheen Afridi to the cleaners. The 23-year-old <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-previews/odi-world-cup-2023-match-26-pakistan-vs-south-africa-match-preview/" title="Pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pakistan</strong></a> stalwart has troubled the Proteas wicketkeeper batter in the last few years. In six innings in ODIs, Shaheen has sent de Kock back to the pavilion twice, giving away 69 runs off 75 deliveries.</p>
<p>Shaheen has put up an impressive show with the ball in this World Cup. On India’s batting-friendly surfaces, the paceman has grabbed ten wickets in five games at an economy of 5.97. In the must-win game, he will look to play his part efficiently and bring Pakistan back to the winning ways. &nbsp;</p>
<p></p>

<p>Pakistan and South Africa will lock horns with each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in match No. 26 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cwc-cricket-world-cup/" title="Cricket World Cup 2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cricket World Cup 2023</strong></a>. Following the eight-wicket thumping at the hands of Afghanistan, the Men in Green will have to win the contest against the Proteas. Pakistan are in a perilous situation in this tournament, holding the fifth spot on the points table with two victories and three defeats.</p>
<p>Talking about South Africa’s journey, they are looking confident in the competition, with four triumphs and one loss in five outings. The Proteas have looked perfect in all departments of the game so far, and their endeavours will be to beat the Green Army and continue their scintillating form. In this huge contest, both sides will bank on their key players to win this massive encounter. For cricket buffs, there will be a great chance to relish a mouth-watering clash between some illustrious names.</p>
<h3>Here are the top player battles to watch out for</h3>
<h3>3. Heinrich Klaasen versus Haris Rauf &nbsp;</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698334745989_Heinrich-Klaasen-and-Haris-Rauf.jpeg" alt="Heinrich Klaasen and Haris Rauf." loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Heinrich Klaasen and Haris Rauf. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC, Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Heinrich Klaasen has done his job efficiently as a middle-order batter for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-analysis/odi-world-cup-2023-south-africas-strongest-predicted-playing-xi-against-pakistan-7430/" title="South Africa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Africa</strong></a>. He has racked up 288 runs in five matches at a stellar strike rate of 150.78. In his team’s 229-run win against the defending champions England, the right-handed batter played a spunky knock of 109 off 67.</p>
<p>Noting Klaasen’s form, it will be interesting to see how he counters Pakistan’s pace attack. In the absence of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi has justified his role in the Pakistan squad, while Haris Rauf is completely out of rhythm nowadays. Rauf, who is a pivotal member of Pakistan’s fast-bowling unit, has picked up eight wickets in five outings but splurged runs at a terrible economy of 6.97.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the big game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, eyes will be set on the encounter between Klaasen and Rauf. Both have faced each other in two innings of the one-day internationals (ODIs), in which the aggressive Proteas scored two runs in six deliveries while the ferocious pacer didn’t get the wicketkeeper-batter’s scalp.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>2. Babar Azam versus Keshav Maharaj</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698335062298_Babar-Azam-and-Keshav-Maharaj.jpeg" alt="Babar Azam and Keshav Maharaj." loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Babar Azam and Keshav Maharaj. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC, Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pakistan captain Babar Azam is going through one of the toughest phases of his cricketing career. Under his captaincy, Pakistan kicked off the tournament with confidence, beating the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, but now, the Men in Green are in huge trouble after losing three matches in a row.</p>
<p>Amidst these difficult times, Pakistan team supporters are expecting their star batter to step up and lead the team from the front in the remaining matches of the round-robin stage. After failing to do wonders in the first two games of this competition, Babar looked decent with his bat against India and Afghanistan. The 29-year-old has scored 157 runs in five matches with two fifties thus far.</p>
<p>Against the Proteas, Babar will have to look confident against Keshav Maharaj, who will look to take advantage of Chennai’s turning track and cause damage to Pakistan. Maharaj has been the most economical bowler for South Africa in this tournament, giving away runs at a thrifty economy of 4.60. In Chennai, the 33-year-old will look to make Babar’s job difficult with his arm ball and exceptional orthodox spin.</p>
<p></p>
<h3>1. Quinton de Kock versus Shaheen Afridi</h3>
<figure class="image"><img src="https://media.crictracker.com/media/attachments/1698335354086_Quinton-de-Kock-and-Shaheen-Afridi.jpeg" alt="Quinton de Kock and Shaheen Afridi." loading="lazy">
<figcaption>Quinton de Kock and Shaheen Afridi. (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC, Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Quinton de Kock has become a headache for bowlers in this tournament. The southpaw is wreaking havoc on bowlers, and his batting extraordinary numbers corroborate this fact. Playing five games, he has amassed 407 runs with three centuries at a magnificent strike rate of 114.97.</p>
<p>Following his superb form, his team will now expect him to take Pakistan’s fast-bowling spearhead Shaheen Afridi to the cleaners. The 23-year-old <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/cricket-previews/odi-world-cup-2023-match-26-pakistan-vs-south-africa-match-preview/" title="Pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pakistan</strong></a> stalwart has troubled the Proteas wicketkeeper batter in the last few years. In six innings in ODIs, Shaheen has sent de Kock back to the pavilion twice, giving away 69 runs off 75 deliveries.</p>
<p>Shaheen has put up an impressive show with the ball in this World Cup. On India’s batting-friendly surfaces, the paceman has grabbed ten wickets in five games at an economy of 5.97. In the must-win game, he will look to play his part efficiently and bring Pakistan back to the winning ways. &nbsp;</p>
<p></p>

Pakistan and South Africa will lock horns with each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in match No. 26 of the&nbsp;Cricket World Cup 2023. Following the eight-wicket thumping at the hands of Afghanis

CWC 2023: Pak vs SA - Top player battles to watch out for

For cricket buffs, there will be a great chance to relish some mouth-watering clashes between some illustrious names in the encounter between two big teams.

CWC 2023: PAK vs SA - Top player battles to watch out for

CWC 2023: Check out the top players who can face each other in batting and bowling during Pakistan vs South Africa match 26 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.