PAK vs SA Preview | Pakistan and South Africa set to lock horns in first Test of two-match series in Lahore

ByUmesh Sharma,SportsCafe Editor

Today at 12:22 AM

Pakistan are set to host the defending World Test Champions, South Africa, in the first Test of the two-match series, at the Gaddafi Stadium from Saturday, October 11 onwards. Pakistan will aim to start fresh with a win in the new WTC cycle, while the Proteas will eye continuing their winning run.

Pakistan have not been in a decent run of form in their last five Tests, losing three Tests while winning only two games. They are coming off a big 120-run defeat against West Indies in the previous Test they played against West Indies earlier this year. Before that, they defeated the Caribbean side by 127 runs, following two consecutive defeats against South Africa. The defeats against South Africa came after their big nine-wicket win against England. They will target to start the new World Test Championship Cycle 2025-27 with a win in this game against South Africa.

On the contrary, the reigning World Test Champions, South Africa, have been in a sensational run of form in the longest format of the game. They have registered five consecutive wins in their last five Tests, including four in 2025 and a game last year in December. In the previous fixture, they defeated Zimbabwe by a massive margin of an innings and 236 runs, following a huge 328-run win against the same opponent in the two-match Test series. Before that, it was the historic WTC final, in which they defeated the 2023 WTC champions, Australia, by five wickets, following two successive wins against Pakistan. The holders will aim to continue their dominance in red-ball cricket with a win against Pakistan in the Test series opener.

Form Guide

PAK: W L L W L

SA: W W W W W

PAK vs SA Head-to-Head in Tests

Pakistan and South Africa have faced each other in 30 Tests so far in the history of both teams, with the Proteas dominating this head-to-head battle. South Africa have won 17 games, while Pakistan have won only six games, alongside seven drawn games. So, Aiden Markram’s men will eye continuing their dominance against Pakistan, while the latter will look forward to reducing their win difference with South Africa with a success in this game.

Pitch and Weather

The Gaddafi pitch is expected to look firm with a tinge of grass early on, promising some seam movement for fast bowlers in the first session, but expected to become slower and assist spinners from Day 3 onwards.

It will be a sunny October day in Lahore on Saturday, with the temperature hovering around 29 degrees Celsius. There will be no rain threat throughout the five days of the entire game.

Team News

Both Pakistan and South Africa will be playing the first Test of the two-match series, so they will aim to field their best playing XI to achieve success in the Test series opener.

Pakistan Probable XI: Shan Masood (C), Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Khurram Shahzad, Noman Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Abrar Ahmed.

South Africa Probable XI: Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Aiden Markram (C), Dewald Brevis, David Bedingham, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Corbin Bosch, Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, and Wiaan Mulder.