Pakistan captain Shan Masood is confident winning a home series against England and one-day international series wins over South Africa will help them fight against a poor record against a formidable South Africa in the Boxing Day Test starting in Centurion from Thursday.
Pakistan have won just two of the 15 Tests they played in South Africa, the last in 2007. Since their last win, Pakistan have lost seven that includes two 3-0 whitewash results in the Rainbow Nation.
Not only history, but South Africa's formidable bowling and a super fast track at the SuperSports Park can be kryptonite for the tourists who are also smarting from their red-ball coach Jason Gillespie's sudden resignation after the former Australian pacer developed differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
But new head coach Aaqib Javed and his assistant Azhar Mahmood know how to use their skills in tough South African conditions. Aaqib took five wickets in his only Test he played at Johannesburg in 1995. Azhar has good memories of South Africa, hitting a century on debut at his hometown Rawalpindi in 1997 and then smashing another in his first outing in Johannesburg a year later.
Azhar's sweetest memory is a brilliant 132 in the Durban Test 1998 which gave Pakistan a 29-run win -- their first in South Africa.
South Africa has extra motivation to beat Pakistan in the two -Test series as one win can help them qualify for the World Test Championship final next year. They are perched at the top of the nine-team WTC Table 2023-25 Cycle.
We have got some momentum from the recently concluded home Test series against England and the ODI series and that can help us win. We know South Africa have done well in this iteration of the ICC World Test Championship but we have prepared for this series in the best possible manner as well after having arrived in the country at least two weeks ago.
Since being given the reins of the white-ball team, Mohammad Rizwan has won the ODI series in Australia -- Pakistan's first in 22 years -- inflicting the first-ever whitewash on South Africa last week has raised his stocks. Another series defeat can prompt the PCB to replace Masood with Rizwan as an all-format skipper.
Masood will be under more duress as the management has penned him to open the innings with Saim Ayub after Abdullah Shafique is dropped after his three blobs in the ODI series. The top order will face a stiff challenge from South African fast bowlers with Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada in the lead.
With seven batters, Salman Agha will be the only spinner and allrounder Aamer Jamal at eight will stabilize the often vulnerable batting. The quartet of fast bowlers see Mohammad Abbas playing his first Test in three years.
The return of pacer Khurram Shahzad, who did really well on his debut in Australia and the seasoned campaigner Mohammad Abbas is a welcome development for Pakistan’s Test side looking to bag wins in one of the toughest conditions for overseas teams.
Masood hoped the pace quartet would do their best to expose South Africa's frailties. Pakistan will miss spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi who was not selected for the Tests to keep him fresh for the Champions Trophy in two months time.
Pakistan XI:
- Shan Masood (captain),
- Saim Ayub
- Saud Shakeel (vice-captain)
- Babar Azam
- Kamran Ghulam
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Salman Ali Agha
- Aamer Jamal
- Naseem Shah
- Khurram Shahzad
- Mohammad Abbas
