RAWALPINDI – The final and decisive Test between Pakistan and South Africa will begin today at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with both sides having completed their preparations for the crucial encounter.
Ahead of the match, both teams held extensive practice sessions. Pakistani batters especially focused on sweep and reverse-sweep shots to counter the South African spinners.
Pakistan’s head coach, Azhar Mahmood, said the series presented a great opportunity for Pakistan to secure victory against a Test championship contender.
“The Lahore pitch provided a fair balance for both batting and bowling. We will finalize our playing XI right before the toss,” he added.
Meanwhile, South African captain Aiden Markram acknowledged the challenging conditions, saying, “Playing in these conditions is always tough. We will again face the challenge of Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan in Rawalpindi.” He added that it was encouraging news that spinner Keshav Maharaj had regained fitness and would be part of the final XI.
After training in Rawalpindi, South African players visited a shopping mall in Islamabad, where they enjoyed sightseeing and showed keen interest in Pakistan’s traditional and cultural items, purchasing several souvenirs.
It may be mentioned here that Pakistan currently lead the two-match Test series 1-0.
