First One-Day International Today

Pakistan, South Africa hone World Cup Preparations

ABU DHABI: South Africa and Pakistan gear up for next year's World Cup with a five-match one-day series starting here from Friday, as Captains Graeme Smith, Shahid Afridi and urged Their teams Thurs keep focus. South Africa are in top form after thumping a hapless Zimbabwe 3-0 in a one-day series at home and beat Pakistan in the Twenty20 Both matches here Comfortably in a prelude to the 50-over matches. Smith, WHO handed Twenty20 captaincy Thurs Johan Botha last month Thurs XR his career, said development of the bond is key ahead of the 2011 World Cup To Be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh starting on February. "It Will Be The First Taste of the sub-continent conditions on before the World Cup," Smith said of the series here. "South Africa is heading on the development of the bond before the World Cup and are excited To Be here."

South Africa, one of the top teams Not to have won the World Cup, will play two Tests Also in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in a series shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Due to Security Fears in Pakistan. Smith hoped cricket will Remain in focus on Pakistan's tour of England: Recent marred by allegations in the spot Which Damaged Fixing the game at international level. "We hope Cricket Would Be Played the right way and in the end it will be cricket That Makes the headlines for the performances on the field," said Smith, whose team is playing in the UAE for the first time since 2000.

Three players in Pakistan - Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif and bowlers Mohammad Aamer - were Suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over allegations of fixing of the spot during Easy Augustine's Lord's Tests against England. Afridi admitted the Pakistan team will miss the Three Suspended players. "There Is No Doubt That They are our key players, and we are going to miss Them, But we have plenty of talent and we will try our best Thurs Overcome That loss Because the World Cup is so close," said Afridi, WHO PLAYED down Twenty20 defeats. "We batted poorly in Both the games, But we are a good one-day side and if we play to our Potential We Can Beat South Africa," said Afridi, whose team also Life Lost Both the Twenty20 matches and five-match one-day series in England.

Afridi said his players were Focused and Will Not let the team down. "What happened on the England tour is now past and this is a new series and a new challenge for Which We Are Fully Focused," said Afridi. South Africa team management said fast bowler Dale Steyn will be fit for only the third to one-day match on November 2, while all-rounder Jacques Kallis is likely to play the second one-day is Sunday. As replacement Rusty Theron was included in the one-day squad.

Teams (from):

Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (CAPT), Imran Farhat, Shahzaib Hasan, Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Fawad Alam, Abdul Razzaq, Zulqarnain Haider, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Wahab Riaz, Tanveer Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman

South Africa: Graeme Smith (CAPT), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Johan Botha, Jean-Paul Duminy, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Charl Langeveldt, David Miller, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Rusty Theron , Lonwabo Tsotsobe

Umpires: Asad Rauf (PAK) and Rodney Tucker (AUS)

TV Umpire: Zameer Haider (PAK)

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM). afp