South Africa vs Pakistan: 5 things to look forward to

While Pakistan rediscovered their winning ways in their last match against Zimbabwe, South Africa are riding on the back of 2 consecutive 400+ totals, which is mammoth, even by modern day cricketing standards. A lot will be at stake for Pakistan, as a loss here will be a major setback, making every match a must-win for them henceforth.The Proteas are in red-hot form, and their key players have come good, which should be a huge worry for the Misbah-ul-Haq-led side. South Africa look like the clear favourites, and Pakistan will have to pull of a stellar performance to outdo them when the two sides meet at the Eden Park on Saturday.Here are the 5 things to look forward to ahead of this battle of the titans:

#1 The Amla-de Villiers force

The top-2 batsmen in ODI cricket have shown the world, time and again, why they are the best. While AB de Villiers punished the West Indies bowlers at will, shattering all records, Amla too recorded a brilliant 159 against Ireland. In Amla, South Africa have a dependable opener who can build the innings to perfection.

De Villiers is a match-winner in every sense of the term, and has ably led from the front. The skipper would love to bat at this ground, with its shorter boundaries, and carry the momentum forward. The combined prowess of these two batting mainstays makes South Africa a force to be reckoned with.