The SA cricket team facing Pakistan in the test match is dominated by youngsters. SA skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl first at the start of the first test against Pakistan at Supersport Park in Centurion on Thursday.
The Proteas are hoping to clinch a spot at the World Test Championship final at Lords in 2025. South Africa is within touching distance of a place in next June’s World Test Championship final. This will be at Lords but must win at least one of their two tests against Pakistan.
According to the Supersport website, a run of five successive test victories in the last five months – over the West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – has catapulted South Africa to first in the WTC standings. It has also given them a strong chance of a place against either Australia, India or Sri Lanka in the one-off final in London.
SA’s two chances to advance to the WTC final
They get two chances to advance to the WTC final, hosting a second test at Newlands in Cape Town from 3-7 January. And with home advantage and a winning record against Pakistan, they will be expected to do so.
“Pakistan have never won a test series in South Africa, and lost their last seven tests there. The tourists also arrived without coach Jason Gillespie, who dramatically quit this month. He has been replaced by former fast bowler Aqib Javed.
“But a home series triumph over England in October will have boosted Pakistan, as will the 3-0 whitewash of South Africa in a one-day international series that concluded at the weekend.
Pakistan light on bowlers
“Promising 22-year-old batter Saim Ayoub was outstanding in the ODIs, with two centuries. And Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah, also contributed. They have stayed on for the two-test series, where Shan Masood captains the team. Pakistan do look light on bowlers. [And this is] where South Africa have Kagiso Rababa and Marco Jansen leading a fiery attack on surfaces favouring the quicks.
“They will also be trying to get allrounder Wiaan Mulder back in after he broke a finger against Sri Lanka last month,” reads the website.
SOUTH AFRICA: Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain). David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, and Dane Paterson.
PAKISTAN: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt). Saud Shakeel, Salman Agha, Amir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Abbas.
