Pakistan v South Africa – Test Preview, Pitches & Prediction

This will be South Africa’s first tour to Pakistan in 14 years since their 2007 Series which they won 1 – 0 and 3-2 in the ODIs. It is the fact that these two teams haven’t played each other for 14 years in Pakistan that makes this series very intriguing, with many unknowns.

Seeing as this will be the first time that most of the South African side (quick search suggests Faf Du Plessis is the only one to have played in Pakistan and that was in the PSL) have ever been to Pakistan, it is a great shame that the series is only for two tests and three T20s. That said, there is much interest and anticipation at what might transpire over the series.

South Africa

South Africa are without a batting, spin bowling coach or Performance Analyst Prasanna Agoram, who has now left CSA. They arrive with a series win at home against an injury ravaged Sri Lankan team that effectively fielded a Second XI in the Second Test. While the win will give a good feel around the camp, they still arrive in Pakistan with much to prove.

Elgar and Markram, for the most part, look the ideal opening partnership, especially the way they complement each other. However, it was still one score out of three for Markram, so his place is not yet nailed down. Faf Du Plessis will be invaluable to a middle-order in need of consistent runs to settle a side that is not yet so. Rassie Van Der Dussen is not the ideal number three for South Africa going forward and they might have been better batting him at five. Though he deserves the series to prove people wrong.

The Proteas – Plotting The Path to World Cup 2023

I would also prefer Quinton De Kock at six or seven but again I understand the thinking of wanting him to attack the bowlers with a frontline batsman instead of the tail. Temba Bavuma will know as well as anyone that his numbers are not quite good enough at this level, despite being involved in crucial partnerships. Apart from Elgar and Du Plessis, the Proteas will need their batting unit scoring big runs consistently, which has not been the case.

Bowling wise, while they are inexperienced in terms of Tests played, but it is a strong bowling squad generally. The return of Kagiso Rabada will be a much-needed boost to a bowling unit that did at times lack a leader against Sri Lanka. While the conditions will be foreign to them, the Proteas will be relying on something that has been their strength since 2017, an effective bowling unit. A quick look at the 4-Day Competition in Pakistan shows that the venue of the first Test has favoured pace bowlers slightly, which will please South Africa.

Pakistan

Pakistan arrived home to a frosty reception after a heavy series loss away to New Zealand. To make matters worse, there are strong rumours that suggest coach Misbah Ul-Haq could get the sack after if they do not win the series. In the process, they have announced nine uncapped players and rewarded those who have done well domestically. While in New Zealand, Pakistan lost both Tests comfortably and apart from Mohammed Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf and Azhar Ali, their team performance left a lot to be desired.

When it came to bowling Naseem Shah looked very average, Mohammed Abbas was below his normally high standards, as well as Yasir Shah, who generally struggles in Southern Hemisphere countries. That said, Pakistan has a knack of surprising you when they are down, and they do still have a talented squad it is just a question of whether they show it on the pitch.

Pakistan v South Africa: Players to Watch and Bet On

On those missing out, Mohammed Abbas, Haris Sohail, Zafar Gohar and Shan Masood will go to the National High-Performance Centre to work on their technical faults while Naseem Shah has a slight niggle and was not considered. The newcomers will add real competition to the middle order, in particular, Kamran Ghulam who was the leading run-scorer and averaged 62.45 in this season’s Quaid-Azam Trophy, along with Mohammed Nawaz who averaged 49.60 with the bat, and picked up 22 wickets as he returns to the Test side after a four-year absence.

Mohammed Abbas’s replacement is an interesting choice, a 36-year-old named Tabish Khan. He did not have his best season with the ball but appears to possess durability, he bowled more overs in this seasons Quaid-e-Azam than any other pace bowler.

When Hasan Ali picked up the Man of the Tournament award in the Quaid-e-Azam final, there was little doubt he would return to the Test side. It is a little over two years since his last Test match, interestingly also against South Africa. His return is reward for a stellar season where he averaged 20.06 with the ball as he picked up 43 wickets, and in turn, helped his team get to the final and ultimately share the trophy.

Squads

South Africa

Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Marco Jansen..

Pakistan

Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (captain), Fawad Alam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Sarfaraz Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Yasir Shah, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Tabish Khan.

Grounds and Pitches

National Stadium Karachi

Out of the last 11 first-class games here, there have been six draws, so that would suggest if you get runs on the board you will do well. Also, fast bowlers have been doing well on this wicket when compared with spinners.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Before COVID-19 came along, Pakistan played Sr Lanka in December 2019 where Abid Ali and Babar Azam both made hundreds in a slow-moving draw and Pakistan’s only spinner was Haris Sohail. Then in February 2020 Pakistan won by an innings v Bangladesh, where 13 of 20 wickets went to pace bowlers.

Series Prediction

It is an exceedingly difficult series to predict with so many variables at play but If the NZ v Pak series was anything to go by. Pakistan are not a happy camp and they have plenty to work on. It will be a huge ask of the new men in their squad to adapt quickly to Test match level.

South Africa also has many questions to answer themselves after a home loss to England last year, this was before their series win against an injured Sri Lankan team, so I would say it’s going to be a drawn series although with Pakistan’s inexperience, there could be an opportunity for the Proteas to capitalize on that. South Africa’s pace attack could ne the key to a series win.