CAPE TOWN – Pakistan is scheduled to play a two-match Test series against South Africa, starting with the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion tomorrow (Thursday).
The second Test will begin on Friday, January 3, at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.
During their ongoing all-format tour of South Africa, Pakistan lost the three-match T20I series 2-0. However, they made a strong comeback by achieving a historic 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series. The upcoming Test series, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship, is anticipated to be highly competitive.
Pakistan’s Test squad members arrived in South Africa on 13 December to prepare well and acclimatise to the local conditions. The experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played for Pakistan against the West Indies in August 2021, has returned to the squad. He has forced his way back into the squad with 31 scalps in five Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches this season.
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 the Pakistan men’s team, and this will be his first red-ball series after taking 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 South Africa has won seven, while Pakistan emerged victorious in two, and three ended up as draws. In the recent Test series between the two nations, Pakistan beat South Africa 2-0 at home in Jan-Feb 2021.
Shan Masood, Pakistan’s Test captain: “We are eagerly looking forward to measuring ourselves against South Africa, who have always been one of the top sides in the world. We gained momentum from the recently concluded home Test series against England and the ODI series, which featured several Test squad members.
“The return of pacer Khurram Shahzad, who did well on his debut in Australia and the seasoned campaigner Mohammad Abbas is a welcome development for Pakistan’s Test side looking to bag wins in one of the most challenging conditions for overseas teams.
“We know South Africa has done well in this iteration of the ICC World Test Championship, but we have prepared for this series in the best possible manner after arriving in the country at least two weeks ago.”
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:
10 Dec – 1st T20I – South Africa beat Pakistan by 11 runs at Kingsmead Cricket Stadium, Durban
13 Dec – 2nd T20I – South Africa beat Pakistan by seven wickets at SuperSport Park, Centurion
14 Dec – 3rd T20I – Match abandoned without a ball being bowled at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
17 Dec – 1st ODI – Pakistan beat South Africa by three wickets at the Boland Park, Paarl
19 Dec – 2nd ODI – Pakistan beat South Africa by 81 runs at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
22 Dec – 3rd ODI – Pakistan beat South Africa by 36 runs (DLS) at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
26 – 30 Dec – 1st Test vs South Africa at the SuperSport Park, Centurion (1pm PKT)
3-7 Jan – 2nd Test vs South Africa at the Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (1pm PKT)
