South Africa have the won the toss and elected to bowl first in the first Test match against Pakistan at SuperSport Park, Centurion, today.
Pakistan are set to play a two-match Test series against South Africa. Earlier, the Green Shirts secured a historic whitewash in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series.
Pakistan lost the three-game T20I series 2-0 before coming back to inflict a historic 3-0 whitewash in the ODI series.
The Test series is also expected to be highly competitive.
Pakistan’s Test squad reached South Africa on December 13 to prepare well and acclimatise with the local conditions.
A press release of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said the Test squad has seen the return of the experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas. He last played against West Indies in August 2021. Abbas forced his way back into the team with 31 scalps in five Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches this season.
Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad has also returned to the team.
Aqib Javed is the interim head coach of the men’s team. This will be Aqib’s first red-ball series after taking charge in the white-ball series against Zimbabwe.
Since 1995, both the teams have played each other in 12 Test series, out of which seven have been won by Proteas, while the Green Shirts emerged victorious in two. Three ended up as draws.
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
