PAK vs SA: South Africa elects to field first against Pakistan in 1st Test match
South Africa won the toss and elected to field first against Pakistan in the opening Test of the two-match series at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on Thursday. The decision sets the stage for an intense contest in this ICC World Test Championship series, with both teams eager to make a strong start.
Pakistan enters the series with confidence following a historic 3-0 whitewash in the One-Day International (ODI) series against South Africa, a significant rebound after losing the preceding T20I series 2-0. The Test series presents a fresh challenge, with both teams vying for crucial championship points.
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The Pakistan Test squad, which arrived in South Africa on December 13 to prepare and acclimatize to the local conditions, sees the return of experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas. Abbas earned his place back in the squad with an exceptional domestic performance, claiming 31 wickets in five Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches. Joining him is Khurram Shahzad, who has recovered from an injury that kept him out of the home Test series against England.
Leading the coaching efforts for Pakistan is interim head coach Aqib Javed, who took charge during the recent white-ball series against Zimbabwe. This will be his first red-ball assignment with the team.
Pakistan and South Africa share a competitive Test history, having played 12 series since 1995. South Africa has won seven of these, while Pakistan has claimed two victories, with three series ending in draws. Pakistan’s most recent triumph came in January-February 2021, when they defeated South Africa 2-0 at home.
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform in challenging conditions. “We are eager to test ourselves against South Africa, one of the top sides in the world. The return of experienced pacers Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad strengthens our lineup,” he said.
Pakistan XI: Shan Masood (capt), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson, Corbin Bosch
Schedule of matches:
First Test — Dec 26 to Dec 30 at the SuperSport Park, Centurion at 1pm PKT
Second Test — Jan 3 to Jan 7 at the Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town at 1pm PKT
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