Pakistan vs South Africa, 29th Match, Pool B - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Pakistan are alive in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, recovering from big losses to India and West Indies by winning over Zimbabwe and UAE, but their need-to-win scenario now gets a lot tougher. On Saturday, they face South Africa at the notoriously batsman-friendly Eden Park, fully aware of the power packed into AB de Villiers' unit and that they need to beat them to remain in contention for the quarter-finals.

Pakistan's challenge remains, firstly, to stop South Africa from putting up another huge total. Should they bat first, Pakistan will need their batsmen to really step up against an attack comprising Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Kyle Abbott, Imran Tahir and the fit-again Vernon Philander. Overall the Pakistan batting has underwhelmed, and few will look deeply into the fifties scored against UAE in Napier two evenings ago. Batting is their weak link, which Misbah acknowledged, and that in turn demands more from Pakistan's bowlers against a marauding South Africa batting line-up.

South Africa - positioned second in Pool B table with six points - have no real form worries, but they could do with a strong score from opener Quinton de Kock who has made 7, 7, 12 and 1 in the World Cup. He is the designated wicketkeeper too, but South Africa can easily call on de Villiers to perform that role. Philander and JP Duminy have come through fitness tests and are fit and available for section, leaving the management with the tough decision of who to drop. In Duminy's absence, Rilee Rossouw scored 61 off 39 balls and 61 not out off 30 balls, two blazing innings that helped the totals past 400. Abbott, drafted in for the injured Philander, has taken six wickets in two games while making incisions up front and at the death.

As de Villiers said a couple days ago, no one is guaranteed a spot in the XI. That is as close an indication that Abbott, as lively and quickly as he bowled, may go back to the bench on Saturday. Duminy's return is more straightforward, with the allrounder Farhaan Behardien likely to make way, and the think-tank appears to have plenty of faith in 22-year-old de Kock. If, and it is a tiny if, de Kock is benched, then Rossouw could be bumped back to open with the prolific Hashim Amla.

There are chances of rain on game day, and washout would give Pakistan one point. Considering how scratchy they've been, as well as how massive the challenge mounted by South Africa is, they may not be too unhappy with a point from this crucial fixture.