LAHORE: Left-arm spinner Asif Afridi is still awaiting his Test debut after spinner Sajid Khan was cleared for the first match against South Africa on Sunday.
Afridi has been included in the Pakistan team management’s plans for the first Test alongside left-arm spinner Noman Ali, following Khan’s absence from training sessions due to a viral fever.
However, the team management decided to field Khan in the first match after he passed his fitness test on Saturday, a day before the start of the first match at the Gaddafi Stadium.
In the fast bowling department, Shaheen Shah Afridi is expected to make a comeback to the Test side after a year. The left-arm pacer has 116 wickets in 31 Tests and will share the new ball with Hasan Ali, who has 80 wickets in 24 Tests and last played a Test in January 2024 against Australia in Sydney.
Left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq, who last represented Pakistan in the longest format of the game in December 2023, is also expected to make a return to the playing XI.
South Africa is touring Pakistan for series in all formats of the game. The first Test is scheduled from October 12 to 16 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, while the second Test will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from October 20 to 24.
Pakistan likely to play XI for first Test
Imagine, Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Noman Ali, Noman Ali, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan.
