Ongama Gcwabe and IANS

Upon arrival in Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, one of the main conversations in and around the Proteas camp has been acclimatising to the foreign conditions and coming up with the right plans for the surfaces on which they will play during the tournament.

Having gone through three matches in Pakistan thus far – one against New Zealand in Lahore, another against Pakistan in Karachi, and a warm-up against the Pakistan Shaheen team on Monday – it is clear that the surfaces are heavily skewed to the batters.

The Proteas' bowling attack conceded 300-plus scores in each of the three fixtures, a feat that paints a vivid picture of just how batter-friendly the wickets are heading into the tournament.

The first two games saw an inexperienced bowling attack take centre stage, with Eathan Bosch, Mihlali Mpongwana, and Senuran Muthusamy earning their debuts. Senior players Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, and Marco Jansen returned to action during the warm-up match on Monday.

Despite the return of the senior bowlers, the Pakistan Shaheen team put together 322/8, with uncapped Muhammad Hurraira (110) slamming a century alongside Imam Ul Haq's 98 as the pair combined for a remarkable 163-run stand.

Rabada and Maharaj went wicketless during the warm-up, recording figures of 0/54 and 0/50, respectively, while Wiaan Mulder (3/27), Jansen (2/44), Lungi Ngidi (1/37), and Tabraiz Shamsi (1/58) contributed to the wickets column.

While the conditions in Pakistan may be against the bowlers, the Proteas' bowling unit has struggled to contain opposing batting line-ups. This comes on the heels of Pakistan having their way in South Africa during their historic series whitewash of the Proteas in December.

Pakistan achieved two 300-plus totals in that three-match series, highlighting the bowling attack's difficulty not only in restraining opposition batters but also in consistently taking ten wickets. The injuries to fast bowlers Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, and Nandre Burger have not favoured South Africa, nor did Ngidi missing the home summer due to an injury.

Ngidi heads into the Champions Trophy cold, with only three 50-over outings under his belt alongside the handful of games he played in the SA20 last month.

As South Africa prepares for their tournament opener against Afghanistan at the National Stadium in Karachi on Friday, Temba Bavuma, coach Rob Walter, and the bowling attack must ensure their plans are robust to stand a chance of advancing into the semi-final stage of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, who was part of their first-ever ODI side, is still not thinking about hanging up his boots and is planning to play beyond the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

Now 40-years old, Nabi remains an elite all-rounder and has just helped Fortune Barishal win the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). He is now back on Afghanistan duty, 16 years after he was part of the team that beat Scotland in Benoni in his country’s first-ever ODI.

And he has not yet decided whether the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be the last time he pulls on an international jersey.

“I’m still thinking (about the future). These might not be my last ODIs, I will probably play fewer ODIs and give chances to the youngsters to build experience," ICC quoted Nabi as saying. “I’ve discussed with the senior players and in the high-level games, maybe or maybe not, we’ll see. It will depend on my fitness ...

“I’m preparing myself for the Champions Trophy now. I did three sessions with the national team in Abu Dhabi so I’m in good shape," he added.

His son Hassan Eisakhil is just 18 but has started to make an impression, with Nabi hoping that one day they may share the field while representing their country. He added: “It’s my dream (to play for Afghanistan together).

additional reporting by IANS