Flailing Pakistan put on notice, run into belligerent South Africa

Slow Chennai track may help rein in the in-form Proteas if Pak spinners can deliver

- Rasesh Mandani

There is little chance that Babar Azam would have a 'cornered tiger' t-shirt tucked inside his kit bag which he would come out wearing at the toss against South Africa on Friday. But he sure can draw inspiration, watching a rerun of the statement Imran Khan chose to make to Allan Border at the toss, 30 years back. Pakistan find themselves in a situation eerily similar to 1992.

From three points to show and three losses down, Imran's Pakistan went on to win five matches in a row to lift the World Cup. Azam's Pakistan now need to win six matches in a row to repeat the feat. Four league matches come first to qualify for the semi-finals; against South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand and England.

Imran's Pakistan had serious firepower though, he only provided the ignition. The former skipper would rhetorically ask senior players in the team meeting if there was anybody better than them. To the younger talent -- he would ask Aaqib Javed to bowl bouncers at 'so and so', warn Inzamam; he would play or die, send a message to Wasim Akram through newspaper interviews that all he needed to do was to bowl fast.