LAHORE: South Africa’s Test squad arrived in Lahore on Wednesday to begin their much-anticipated tour of Pakistan for a two-match Test series starting October 12. The touring side will spend the coming days training and acclimatising to local conditions before facing Pakistan in the red-ball series that launches both teams’ new ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 campaigns.
Test Series Schedule Announced
The first Test will take place at Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium from October 12 to 16, while the second Test will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from October 20 to 24. This tour is part of South Africa’s all-format visit to Pakistan, which includes Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
Pakistan is aiming for a strong start in the new Test Championship cycle after finishing at the bottom of the previous edition’s table, where they lost nine out of fourteen matches. Meanwhile, South Africa will be looking to begin their title-defence campaign on a winning note, with their experienced and young players ready to take on subcontinent conditions.
Training and Preparation Underway
Both sides will engage in rigorous training sessions to adjust to Pakistan’s weather and pitch conditions. The Gaddafi Stadium and Rawalpindi tracks are known for their mix of pace and spin challenges, making them ideal venues for a competitive red-ball series.
White-Ball Series to Follow
Following the Test series, Pakistan and South Africa will face off in three T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals, scheduled between October 28 and November 8. The squads for the white-ball matches will be announced closer to the series.
Tickets Now Available
Tickets for the two-match Test series are now on sale. Fans can purchase them online through the official PCB platform, while physical tickets will be available at TCS Express Centres starting Thursday, October 8.
Cricket fans across Pakistan are eagerly awaiting the series, which promises exciting contests and high-quality cricket between two talented Test sides.
Team Squads
Pakistan Test Squad:
Shan Masood (C), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (WK), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
South Africa Test Squad:
Aiden Markram (C), 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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