Sport

SA T20 team: expect 'fresh ideas'

1 March 2013

South African supporters can expect "fresh ideas" from the Proteas in the KFC T20 International Series against Pakistan, says captain Faf du Plessis. The series begins at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban on Friday.

Addressing the media on Thursday, Proteas T20 captain Faf du Plessis suggested that he would follow an unconventional approach.

The first sign of the new outlook is the decision to open with wicket-keeper batsman AB de Villiers, a move Du Plessis says could be a "hidden gem".

'One of the best'

"We feel that AB is one of the best batsmen in the world," Du Plessis said. "He is one of those players that can score a century on the day, there aren't a lot of players in the world who can do that.

"He is an X-factor player and our plan is looking ahead to the next World Cup."

With only 14 matches to go until the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next year, the Proteas' management is looking to settle on a stable group of core players who will create a consistency of combinations and game plans.

Combinations

"We are trying to get a squad of 15, where 95 percent of the players will be going to the World Cup," Du Plessis said. "In saying that, there are still 14 games to make sure that we get our combinations right. That is an area we haven't got it right before.

"Maybe we can use the next six games to try out some combinations and the last few building up to the World Cup to start settling into those combinations and roles, to make sure that we have more of a plan closer to the time."

The lean scheduling of T20 Internationals on the Future Tours Programme makes it difficult for the T20 group to create momentum. However, some pro-active thinking and creativity may help counter this.

"It's not ideal in terms of preparation, but it is what it is," Du Plessis said of the nature of the schedule.

'The future'

"One thing we have decided is to use our practices with the future in mind. As a captain in this series, I will take decisions that may be questioned on the day, but there is a plan behind it.

"We are practising skills now so that we will be better at them in six to 10 games," he concluded.

SA VS PAKISTAN FIXTURES

T20s

Fri, 1 March: 1st T20 - Kingsmead, Durban

Sun, 3 March: 2nd T20I - SuperSport Park, Centurion

One-day internationals

Sun, 10 March: 1st ODI - Chevrolet Park, Bloemfontein

Fri, 15 March: 2nd ODI - SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sun, 17 March: 3rd ODI - Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

Thu, 21 March: 4th ODI - Kingsmead, Durban

Sun, 24 March: 5th ODI - Willowmoore Park, Benoni

SAinfo reporter