Pakistan eye Twenty20 top spot in SA series

Pakistan will look to win the two-match Twenty20 series against South Africa starting on Wednesday to go to the top of the rankings in the shortest format of the game.  Besides improvement in the rankings, both the teams will also seek to get tuned up for the fifth edition of the World Twenty20 to be held in Bangladesh in March and April next year.  Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said his team, ranked second behind Sri Lanka, are eager to win both games.  ‘Of course it will be a big thing if we attain the number one ranking but for us it is more important to win Wednesday’s game and then think for the second,’ said Hafeez at the launch of the Twenty20 Cup.  Both matches will be played in Dubai, with the second clash taking place on Friday.  ‘This series is also important for the fact that we have the World Twenty20 in four months so we have discussed it and want to have the same group of players so that we have a settled squad for the mega event,’ said Hafeez. South African captain Faf du Plessis said his team will start the series with confidence.  ‘I think it’s nice to go into the series with a momentum and the confidence is there although it’s a different format and slightly different team but we look forward to it,’ said Du Plessis. ‘We must find the right balance with the World Twenty20 in the sub-continent, which will have similar conditions to here,’ said Du Plessis.