Lahore, Oct 15: South African cricket captain Graeme Smith today said playing in South Asia was as tough as competing against world champion Australia. "I think playing in the subcontinent is as big a challenge as playing against Australia because the playing conditions here are tougher," Smith told reporters two days before meeting Pakistan in the first of two test matches in this northern city.
It's difficult for teams touring the subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan) "to come out well," he added.
South Africa clinched a five-match one-day international series against Pakistan 3-2 but Smith was banned from the decisive one-dayer at Rawalpindi last Sunday for using offensive language against Pakistan batsman Yousuf Youhana.
The South Africans bounced back from a 2-0 deficit, winning the last three games to silence their critics.
"We arrived here and people called us chokers but we played three good games. We could have choked but I think Pakistan choked," said Smith, who was made captain after South Africa failed to make it into the second round of the World Cup under Shaun Pollock early this year.
Bureau Report