Pakistan has officially revealed its playing XI for the first Test against South Africa, scheduled for December 26 at SuperSport Park in Centurion. After a commanding 3-0 ODI series victory, Pakistan will look to continue their momentum in the longest format of the game.
The major update in the playing XI is Babar Azam’s return, after Pakistan dropped him following their defeat in the first Test against England in Multan in October. Babar’s inclusion is a significant boost for the team, as they prepare for the challenges of Test cricket. Kamran Ghulam, who made his Test debut during Babar’s absence in the England series, has retained his spot in the squad.
On the flip side, Pakistan has dropped Abdullah Shafique from the playing XI for the first Test due to his struggles with the bat during the ongoing South Africa tour. This decision underscores the need for consistency in Pakistan’s batting line-up.
In the bowling department, Pakistan’s star left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi has opted to skip the first Test to manage his workload. Instead, Pakistan will field a four-man pace attack, with no specialist spinner in the XI for the opening match.
Pakistan’s squad for the first Test comes off a 2-1 home series win against England earlier this year, but they were also handed a 0-2 defeat by Bangladesh at home. The squad will look to build on their recent successes and make a strong statement in the Test series against South Africa.
Pakistan’s Playing XI vs South Africa:
Shan Masood (c), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel (vc), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas.
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