Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed insisted his side could bounce back in their Champions Trophy match against South Africa at Edgbaston on Wednesday just days after a humiliating defeat by arch-rivals India at the Birmingham ground.
Pakistan’s crushing 124-run loss to the title-holders on Sunday saw them outplayed in all aspects of the game.
Yet, worryingly for Pakistan, there is the potential for an even more lopsided match against South Africa — and that’s not simply because the Proteas are top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) one-day international rankings, while Sarfraz’s side are eighth.
Now, in the space of just a few days, Pakistan must somehow raise their game to beat a South Africa side who defeated Sri Lanka by 96 runs at the Oval on Saturday in their opening Group B fixture if they are to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.
“I think the mood is OK,” Sarfraz told reporters at Edgbaston on Tuesday. “A little disappointed after they lost the match, but now the mood is okay. The guys are really focused on the next match.”
