Pakistan and South Africa return to Johannesburg for the annual PinkDay ODI event at the Wanderers on Sunday (today).
This is the fourth one-day international (ODI) of the five-match series and will be the eighth edition of the popular fixture, which has helped to raise about Rs5 million ($370,000 approx) for various breast-cancer-awareness organisations over the past six years.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Team Captain Sarfraz Ahmed is not playing the match today, and has been replaced by Muhammad Ramzan. Veteran cricketer Shoaib Malik is performing the responsibity of captaincy.
A crowd of 24,000 is being expected with tickets sold out.
A special mood has been observed at these pink games, and the fixture has spotted several memories over the years, such as when bees (perhaps attracted to the hot pink) stopped play halfway through Sri Lanka’s innings in 2017, with all 13 players, as well as two umpires, lying facedown on the grass.
Last year, the PinkDay ODI was the only out of six in which South Africa managed to beat India, and three years ago Imran Tahir hit the winning runs in a one-wicket win over England.
Most notably, of course, the PinkDay was also the occasion of AB de Villiers’ defining innings, when he smashed 16 sixes – and the record for the fastest ODI ton – during his 44-ball 149 against West Indies in 2015.
Pakistan team now face a do-or-die situation with the Proteas already leading the series with 2-1.
The match between South Africa and Pakistan will start at 1pm.
