The two-match Test series is scheduled to begin on Tuesday (26 January) between South Africa and Pakistan, and the first will be played in Karachi.
After winning against Sri Lanka 2-0 at home, South Africa is coming off, though Pakistan has lost both tests against New Zealand away. The host’s record at home, however, is incredible and they also have Babar Azam back. As for South Africa, to win this series, they will have to play out of their skin.
As for the World Test Championship, with India, New Zealand, Australia, and England still battling tooth and nail, it would be hard for the two sides to get into the top 4.
Pitch report
The Karachi strip will give the spinners plenty of assistance. In December 2019, the venue hosted a test after nearly a decade of inactivity, where visitors to Sri Lanka were handed a 263-run home side loss. The venues have worked well for the domestic games, although there has been hardly any international cricket in Pakistan.
History
The teams have played each other in the past, 26 times at different locations. SOUTH AFRICA won 15 times and PAKISTAN won 4 times in total. The other 7 matches ended up in a draw.
Squads and Probable XI
PAKISTAN
Babar Azam has a relatively youthful team at his disposal in what is going to be his first Test since being designated as Pakistan’s Test skipper. The hosts have included as many as six uncapped players in the 17-man squad. It remains to be seen if many of them have a chance. They selected four spinners and five pacers as all-rounders, including Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf. Bolstered by the inclusion of Azam, their batting mainstay, Pakistan is likely to give Imran Butt a debut.
Squad-Babar Azam (c), Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Imran Butt, Fawad Alam, Yasir Shah, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tabish Khan.
Probable XI-Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Babar Azam (C), Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali/Sajid Khan, Yasir Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali
SOUTH AFRICA
Most of the players who defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 at home include South Africa’s team, and any tinkering in the batting order seems impossible. They have opted for spinners in Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj, and George Linde. With the conditions in the sub-continent, the first two of which are expected to play alongside the back-from-injury Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Wiaan Mulder.
Squad-Quinton De Kock (c), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Dwaine Pretorius, Faf Du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie Van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne, Lutho Sipamla, Hendricks, Sarel Erwee, Alviro Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Sarah Baartman.
Probable XI– Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock (C & WK), Temba Bavuma, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
Conclusion
The match, as well as the season, is supposed to be another nail-biting fight for the fans, with so many promising young talents separated between the two respective sides. South Africa will be the favorites in the series whereas the hosts will be the underdogs.