PAARL – Pakistan and South Africa are ready to lock horns in a key three-match ODI series beginning at the Boland Park in Paarl on Tuesday, December 17.
The second and third fixture of the series will be played at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town and The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on 19 and 22 December, respectively.
South Africa had won the T20I series 2-0 after the third T20I was washed out on 14 December. The ODI series holds a lot of significance for both the teams as they look to fine tune their preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in February and March 2025 in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s squad has been bolstered with the return of pacer Naseem Shah, opening batter Abdullah Shafique and top-order batter Kamran Ghulam while wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan have received their maiden ODI call-ups. This will be Mohammad Rizwan’s third ODI series as skipper of the side as he has started his stint with back to back ODI series wins over Australia and Zimbabwe.
In their last bilateral face-off in the 50-over format, Pakistan won the three-match series 2-1 in South Africa in April 2021.
Mohammad Rizwan: “We couldn’t get the ideal results in the T20I series but I am really happy with some of the performances put in by our players in these conditions especially Saim’s batting was brilliant in both games. Our batting, pace and spin stocks are decent enough to challenge South Africa.
“I see a lot of potential in our ODI squad with players young and experienced both willing to put the best step forward, which makes us an exciting prospect as a one-day side not just going into this series but also in the home tri-nation series and the blockbuster white-ball mega event at home.”
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)
South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Andile Phehlukwayo, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Marco Jansen, Ottneil Baartman, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tony de Zorzi, and Tristan Stubbs
Schedule of matches:
17 Dec – 1st ODI at Boland Bank Park, Paarl (5pm PKT)
19 Dec – 2nd ODI at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (5pm PKT)
22 Dec – 3rd ODI at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (5pm PKT)
26 Dec – 1st Test at SuperSport Park, Centurion (1pm PKT)
3 Jan – 2nd Test at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (1pm PKT)
