South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first in the opening Test of a two-match series against Pakistan at SuperSport Park on Thursday.

After a 3-0 ODI series loss, Pakistan is gearing up for a challenging Test series, part of the ICC World Test Championship. The tour has been a mixed experience for Pakistan, losing the T20I series 2-0, but making a strong comeback in the ODIs.

Pakistan’s Test squad arrived in South Africa on December 13, aiming to adjust to local conditions ahead of the series, as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

There have been key changes in the squad, including the return of Mohammad Abbas, who earned his spot after a stellar performance in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with 31 wickets. Khurram Shahzad, who has recovered from injury, also makes his return. This series marks Aqib Javed’s first role as interim head coach for a red-ball series.

Historically, South Africa has dominated the Test rivalry, winning seven of the 12 series since 1995, while Pakistan has won two. However, Pakistan secured a 2-0 home win over South Africa in their last Test series in early 2021.

PLAYING XIs

Pakistan: Shan Masood (C), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas.

South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (C), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson, and Corbin Bosch.

Match Schedule

First Test: Dec 26–30 at SuperSport Park, Centurion
Second Test: Jan 3–7 at Newlands, Cape Town

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