Pakistan will assume South Africa in the second of the two-match Test series. This article provides details of Pakistan’s Game 11 against South Africa for the second match of the series.
Pakistan Plays XI vs South Africa – 2nd Test, South Africa Tour of Pakistan 2025:
Opening: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq
Pakistan would like to conclude the two-match Test series against South Africa in which the team is currently involved.
The Shan Masood-led team would aim to replicate the same performance they put up in the first match of the series, which ended in a 93-run victory for the home side.
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Pakistan should go for an unchanged playing XI, given that they have ticked almost all the boxes, be it in the batting or bowling department.
Pakistan’s only concern would be the form of the openers, especially when it comes to batting in partnership against the new ball.
This opening pair of Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique failed to get the team off to a good start as one of the two batters got out early in the first and second innings, respectively..
The duo would like to establish a platform that incoming hitters could capitalize on in the next game..
Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha
The opening pair will be followed by a middle order who saved the team from trouble when they were in trouble losing quick wickets after a partnership between captain Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq.
Their middle order features a good mix of youth and experience, which includes current Test captain Shan Masood, former captain Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha.
The Pak team management would be counting on the above-mentioned names to do well in the next match, as they did in the series opener in Lahore.
The onus will be on the batters to convert the start they are getting into big scores and help the hosts post a total of 350-400 in the first innings, which can prove decisive as the match progresses..
Bowlers: Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan
The organizers, since the last two series, have changed strategy and chosen to prepare tracks favorable to effects, which has borne fruit for them.
The success brought by the change of plan was also evident in the first Test against South Africa, with Noman Ali picking ten wickets in the match and leading his team to an important victory with one day to play.
Noman has been in magnificent form since the last series and would like to carry that into the second and final match against South Africa.
Noman will partner Sajid Khan and Salman Ali Agha as a spin bowling all-rounder, while Shaheen Afridi, who picked four wickets in the second innings to close out the match, will handle the fast bowling arsenal with Hasan Ali..
