Pakistan squad gears up for South Africa Test series with intense training in Lahore

Pakistan’s Test squad conducted a three-hour training session at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday, as preparations intensified ahead of the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa.

Under the supervision of the national coaching staff, players focused on refining their fielding, batting, and bowling skills during the extended practice session.

The drills were designed to enhance team coordination and adaptability in preparation for the challenging red-ball contest.

The opening Test between Pakistan and South Africa is scheduled to begin on October 12, marking the start of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for both sides.

The series holds added significance, as it will set the tone for Pakistan’s campaign in the new WTC cycle, while South Africa enters as the defending champions after clinching the title by defeating Australia in June 2025.

The upcoming clash promises to be an exciting contest between two competitive teams eager to establish early dominance in the global Test arena.

The match of the series will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 20 to 24 October.

This will be the Proteas’ first tour of Pakistan since January 2021, when they faced a 2-0 defeat.

Shan Masood will continue to captain Pakistan with an experienced batting order shaping the lineup of the home team, while the visitors will be without their regular captain, Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out due to an injury.

Pakistan’s interim red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood has backed the home side, hinting that the pitches will not be as rank turners as they were during England’s visit to Pakistan last year.

However, the Proteas have come with ample spin resources in their arsenal to challenge Pakistan on spin-friendly tracks.

South Africa’s 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, and Kyle Verreynne.

Pakistan Squad
Shan Masood (capt), 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

Pakistan vs South Africa fixtures
Oct 12-16: 1st Test, Lahore
Oct 20-24: 2nd Test, Rawalpindi
Oct 28: 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
Oct 31: 2nd T20I, Lahore
Nov 1: 3rd T20I, Lahore
Nov 4: 1st ODI, Faisalabad
Nov 6: 2nd ODI, Faisalabad
Nov 8: 3rd OD, Faisalabad