But the loss against India, and the magnitude of the defeat, is likely to have shaken confidence. The one-dimensional bowling plans were clearly exposed by India, with Pakistan in possession of no credible seam option bar a struggling Shaheen Afridi. With the bat, the failure of the top order effectively killed off the game inside the first two overs.

There is likely to be a sweep of changes after the loss against India for Pakistan, with a tweak to their bowling combination that allows more pace. However, they will be aware they need to do a little more than was required of them against USA last week, when a clinical – if not overwhelming – performance proved too much for the Americans.

Namibia do not possess anywhere near the same quality, but, already eliminated, they go into the game with a level of freedom Pakistan do not possess. Their strength lies at the top of the batting order, where they caused discomfort to both the USA and the Netherlands, though not for long enough to convert it into points. They will need to play the perfect game, and for long enough, to cause the upset of the tournament and do their fellow Associates a big favour.

Saim Ayub has established his all-round T20 credentials, but as yet, a standout innings with the bat at an T20 World Cup remains elusive. He came into this tournament in imperious form, but three matches in Sri Lanka have seen him restricted to cameos at best, with 49 runs in three innings. That built on from the 2024 World Cup, where he couldn’t kick on in the two games he played. It has amounted to a T20 World Cup average of 14.40 at a strike rate just above 18, both well below his overall career numbers. Against Namibia, Pakistan may require him to settle nerves, whether it’s with a blistering start that bats the opposition out of the game, or breaks the back of a target. It is, after all, what Pakistan’s continued participation in the tournament could come down to.

Louren Steenkamp may be relatively new to the Namibian side, but he is already among their most explosive run-scorers. With a strike rate of just under 133, only Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton has scored at a higher rate through his Namibian career. A failure against Netherlands, he has taken charge of the Namibian innings, facing the first ball and getting them off to flyers against both India and the USA. He was particularly tough on Arshdeep Singh, taking 22 runs off nine balls against him, and following up with 58 off 39 against USA. Namibia will need him to bat through the powerplay, and possibly longer, against a Pakistan attack short on confidence, piling pressure on them in a game where the stakes are already high.

Pakistan are expected to ring in the changes after a widely panned performance against India. At least three are certain to happen, with quick bowlers Naseem Shah and Salman Mirza set to come in, while one, or even both, of Fakhar Zaman and Khawaja Nafay being called up for their first games this tournament would not be a surprise. Shaheen looks certain to drop to the bench, with Babar Azam similarly precarious.

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (capt),  Babar Azam/Khawaja Nafay,  Shadab Khan/Fakhar Zaman,  Usman Khan (wk),  Mohammad Nawaz,  Salman Mirza,  Naseem Shah,  Usman Tariq,  Abrar Ahmed

Namibia made a couple of changes to their side for the game against USA, and may make one more here. Fast bowler Max Heingo has endured a difficult start, bowling four wicketless overs across three matches and conceding 52. Jack Brassell is the obvious replacement.

Namibia: Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp,  Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton,  Gerhard Erasmus (capt),  JJ Smit, 6 Zane Green (wk),  Dylan Leicher,  Ruben Trumpelmann,  Willem Myburgh,  Bernard Scholtz,  Jack Brassell

[Cricinfo]

With just two wickets in three games, it’s been a quiet World Cup so far for South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada. As one of South Africa’s talismans, he will want to improve those numbers and go into the Super Eight stage high on confidence. It was the fast bowlers who enjoyed better results in the last game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, and Rabada will want to make his mark felt.

UAE’s captain and their most prolific run-getter, Muhammad Waseem, began the World Cup with a half-century against New Zealand, but returned scores of 4 and 10 in their next two games. Against a strong South African bowling lineup, UAE will want Waseem to use his experience and lead the batting lineup from the front.

The match against UAE provides an opportunity for South Africa to rest a player or two before the next round of the tournament, as well as give some minutes to players who haven’t had a chance to play in this World Cup so far. South Africa could hand a game to Jason Smith, who for long looked like he was going to be South Africa’s finisher until Tristan Stubbs’ resurgence to form in the SA20 and his late call-up thanks to Donovan Ferreira’s injury.

South Africa XI (probable):  Aiden Markram (capt),  Quinton de Kock (wk),  Ryan Rickelton,  Dewald Brevis,  David Miller,  Tristan Stubbs/Jason Smith,  Marco Jansen,  Corbin Bosch,  Kagiso Rabada,  Keshav Maharaj/George Linde,  Lungi Ngidi/Anrich Nortje

UAE are unlikely to make a change to the side that took on Afghanistan.

UAE XI (probable):  Muhammad Waseem (capt),  Aryansh Sharma (wk), Alishan Sharafu,  Sohaib Khan,  Syed Haider,  Harshit Kaushik,  Muhammad Arfan,  Haider Ali,  Simranjeet Singh,  Junaid Siddique,  Muhammad Jawadullah