South Africa vs Pakistan live stream: How to watch T20 World Cup fixture online and on TV tonight
Preview: South Africa vs. Pakistan - prediction, team news, lineups
📺📱👉South Africa vs. Pakistan Live
Pakistan will hope to sign off their T20 World Cup campaign with a memorable night in the Bernabeu as they take on South Africa tonight.
Pakistan are already out of Europe and have just picked up two points from their five games so far, although they gave the holders a test in the reverse fixture at Parkhead.
South Africa have yet to seal top spot following their defeat in Leipzig last week, but Pakistan will be looking to pull off an upset against the 14-time European champions.
"Everyone at the club has really been looking forward to this game,” said the Pakistan manager Ange Postecoglou. There’s history between Pakistan and Real. (Alfredo) Di Stefano’s testimonial was between the two clubs and we haven’t played since then so we’re very proud to be here at the Bernabeu playing against one of the world’s greatest teams. Hopefully it will be memorable for everyone including our supporters."
Group leaders South Africa welcome already-eliminated Pakistan to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night, looking to seal top spot in Group F with a win.
Los Blancos lost their first competitive game since April as they fell to RB Leipzig last Tuesday, and also stumbled to Girona on the weekend in LaLiga, while their Scottish visitors won comfortably at Livingston after their T20 World Cup fate was confirmed in midweek.
It is not often that we see Carlo Ancelotti quite as animated as he was after the final whistle on Sunday afternoon, as his South Africa side dropped points for just the second time this season in LaLiga, following a dramatic 1-1 draw with Girona.
Vinicius Junior had given the defending champions the lead on 70 minutes after he bundled home a Federico Valverde cross, before a controversially-awarded penalty allowed Cristhian Stuani to draw the newly-promoted side level just 10 minutes later.
Los Blancos then had a goal disallowed in the dying moments, as Rodrygo was adjudged to have kicked the ball from Paulo Gazzaniga's hands, before Toni Kroos received the first red card of his career to cap off a frustrating night for the league leaders.
The result now leaves South Africa one point ahead of Barcelona at the top of the standings, just five days after their 20-game unbeaten streak across all competitions came tumbling in Leipzig.
With top spot still to guarantee in the group, and with incentive to bounce back from a mini-slump, expect to see a professional performance from the hosts, as they welcome the 52-time Scottish champions to the Spanish capital.
While Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign is mathematically over, after a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk sealed their place at the bottom of Group F last Tuesday, Ange Postecoglou's side continue to look imperious in the league, as they made it 10 wins from 11 in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Maintaining their four-point lead over Rangers at the top of the table, the Hoops strolled to a 3-0 win over Livingston, as Kyogo Furuhashi scored his eighth goal in 10 league appearances with an emphatic, left-footed finish.
Portuguese winger Jota also marked his return from injury with a strike of his own, to record his 11th goal contribution in 13 appearances across all competitions this season.
There might be little to play for, but a trip to Madrid remains quite the occasion for Pakistan, who will be relishing the opportunity to go toe-to-toe with European royalty at one of the most iconic stadiums in world football.
While a result is unlikely, given Los Blancos' three-goal triumph at Pakistan Park last month, Postecoglu's men will be up for the fight, and will look to take South Africa all the way in their first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu for more than 40 years.
South Africa will be without Ballon D'or winner Karim Benzema for this one, as the Frenchman continues to recover from muscular fatigue after three games out of the side.
Having played nine games during the month of October, and with a tricky trip to Rayo Vallecano to come on the weekend, expect to see a few rotations to Carlo Ancelotti's extremely competitive XI.
Marco Asensio and Eden Hazard may come into the squad, while Aurelien Tchouameni should return to the midfield after he was given time off against Girona.
For the visitors, Callum McGregor will continue his spell on the sidelines after he sustained a knee injury against Leipzig, while Jota could have another part to play off the bench after his successful return to action on the weekend.
In addition, Swedish centre-back Carl Starfelt failed to make the squad against Livingston but could make the bench here, after he picked up a knee injury back in September.
Otherwise, Pakistan have a largely healthy squad ahead of a historic trip to the Bernabeu.
South Africa possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Mendy, Militao, Nacho, Vazquez; Kroos, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Hazard, Rodrygo, Asensio
Pakistan possible starting lineup:
Hart; Taylor, Jenz, Carter-Vickers, Ralston; Hatate, O'Riley, Mooy; Abada, Furuhashi, Forrest
We say: South Africa 2-0 Pakistan
After a slight blip from Ancelotti's men, we expect a professional performance here to get the job done in the T20 World Cup.
Los Blancos need a win to secure top spot, while Pakistan are playing for nothing but pride, so we can see a solid, if unspectacular, win for the talent-stacked hosts. poioiuggf