Alam Zeb Safi is a sports journalist, having served in the capacity for 25 years. Covered so many international sports events on foreign soil also including England and Australia.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood (R) and South Africa's stand-in skipper Aiden Markram with the trophy in Lahore ahead of the two-match Test series.
PCB
After finishing ninth in the 2023–2025 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Pakistan will look to launch their 2025–2027 campaign with renewed purpose when they face reigning Test champions South Africa in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood struck an optimistic tone ahead of the series opener.
“This time we are fully prepared. The PCB has made tremendous efforts, from holding camps and organising the Hanif Mohammad Trophy to sending the Shaheens on tour, while a few players also gained experience in county cricket,” Shan said at Saturday’s press conference.
“We’ve tried to minimise the gap as much as possible, and hopefully the team will perform better.”
Acknowledging the challenge posed by the visitors, Shan said the series presented a timely opportunity for his side.
“It’s a great chance for us to start our campaign against the reigning World Test Champions. Getting a positive result against South Africa would be a huge confidence boost. We couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity,” he said.
Shan also underlined the importance of home fixtures in the WTC cycle.
“In this championship, home series matter a lot, and it’s crucial to win one or two away series as well. The next few days will be important, and we’re focused on how to manage the conditions and challenges ahead,” he said.
“We will need performances tailored to the conditions.”
The skipper noted that playing at Gaddafi Stadium carries special meaning for the team.
“We didn’t get to play here in the previous cycle, so we have to quickly assess what the conditions demand,” Shan said.
Pakistan faces some uncertainty over the availability of off-spinner Sajid Khan.
“Sajid is an integral part of our squad. Unfortunately, he was down with viral flu. He returned today, bowled in the nets, and we’ll consult the medical team. We have 12 players in mind, but final decisions will depend on fitness assessments,” Shan revealed.
He emphasised the importance of using home advantage wisely and adjusting the bowling combination to suit local conditions.
“In these conditions, we’ve typically gone with a 3-1 combination, but we’ve also considered reverse swing options. If we feel the pitch won’t offer much spin, we might go with two pacers. We'll make that call in the morning after assessing conditions,” the captain said.
South Africa’s stand-in skipper Aiden Markram was equally upbeat about the new Test cycle.
“It’s exciting to begin a new cycle. It’s great to be in Pakistan — we’re looking forward to a challenging but enjoyable series. We’re eager to get started,” Markram said.
“You win Test matches by performing well in all facets, and this is a unique challenge for us, coming from South African conditions to Pakistani ones. We’ll assess early, see how the pitch behaves, and plan accordingly.”
South Africa last toured Pakistan in 2021 for a two-match Test series, which Pakistan won 2–0 with victories in Karachi and Rawalpindi. Both teams had intense training sessions at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday as they wrapped up preparations. Entry for fans has been kept free for this match, which also marks the start of South Africa’s new WTC campaign.
This will be the third Test meeting between the two sides at Gaddafi Stadium. Their previous clash in Lahore, played from October 8–12, 2007, ended in a draw, while Pakistan triumphed by eight wickets at the same venue in October 2003.
The pitch is expected to assist spinners, with the central strip appearing dry and likely to deteriorate as the match progresses.
The series also marks the beginning of South Africa’s latest WTC journey, following their victory over Australia by five wickets at Lord’s in June to clinch the 2023–2025 title.
However, the visitors will be without regular captain Temba Bavuma, who is sidelined with a calf injury. Aiden Markram, who struck a century in the WTC final against Australia, will lead the side for the two-Test series.
The second Test will be played in Rawalpindi from October 20 to 24, after which both sides will contest three T20 Internationals in Rawalpindi and Lahore. The tour will conclude with three One-Day Internationals in Faisalabad.
Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi
South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (captain), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (second Test only), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne
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