Pakistan announces Playing XI for first South Africa Test

Pakistan announced their Playing XI for the first Test of the two-match PAK v SA series, scheduled to begin on December 26 (tomorrow).

Pakistan is set to feature in a two-match Test series against South Africa beginning with the Boxing Day Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday, 26 December followed by the Cape Town Test at the Newlands Cricket Ground beginning from Friday, 3 January.

In their ongoing all-format tour to South Africa, Pakistan lost the three-match T20I series 2-0 while came back to inflict a historic 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series. The Test series, part of the ICC World Test Championship, will begin tomorrow.

Members of the Pakistan’s Test squad reached South Africa on 13 December in order to prepare well and acclimatise with the local conditions. The Test squad has seen return of the experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played for Pakistan against West Indies in August 2021. He has forced his way back in the squad with 31 scalps in five Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches this season.

Also read: South Africa announce Playing XI for first Pakistan Test

Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who was ruled out of the three-match home Test series against England due to injury has returned to the squad too. Aqib Javed is the interim head coach of Pakistan men’s team and this will be his first red-ball series after taking the charge in the white-ball series against Zimbabwe last month.

Pakistan and South Africa have played each other in 12 Test series since 1995, out of which seven have been won by South Africa while Pakistan emerged victorious in two, while three ended-up as draws. In the recent most Test series between the two nations, Pakistan beat South Africa 2-0 at home in Jan-Feb 2021.

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

Pakistan Test squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha

Schedule of matches:

Pak vs SA first test 26 – 30 Dec

Pak vs SA second test 3-7 Jan