Image Source : GETTY Babar Azam
Babar Azam will make his check captaincy debut on Tuesday in opposition to a tricky South Africa group that’s touring Pakistan for the primary time in additional than 13 years.
Azam has recovered from a thumb damage that saved him out of the two-test sequence in New Zealand, which Pakistan misplaced 2-0.
“I missed the series against New Zealand, but it’s a proud moment for me that I am doing my captaincy debut in my own country,” Azam mentioned Monday. “South Africa is a good team. You can’t take them lightly, but conditions suit us more because most of us have played here.”
South Africa final toured Pakistan in 2007 as a result of the nation was compelled to prepare its “home” check sequence within the United Arab Emirates following a terrorist assault on a bus carrying the Sri Lanka group in Lahore in 2009.
The second check will probably be performed in Rawalpindi from Feb. 4, adopted by the three-match Twenty20 sequence in Lahore from Feb. 11-14.
Pakistan is out of the race to qualify for the World Test Championship last at Lord’s in June whereas South Africa has solely a mathematical probability to make it with India, New Zealand, Australia and England among the many high contenders.
Azam was nicely conscious of Pakistan’s poor check file in opposition to South Africa, successful solely 4 of 26 in opposition to the Proteas. One of Pakistan’s 15 losses got here on the National Stadium — the venue for the primary check — when South Africa toured in 2007.
“We should not think about past, we should focus on what’s ahead of us,” Azam mentioned. “It’s a fact that we don’t have a good record against them, but we have prepared well and we hope to give our best against them this time.”
Pakistan has included six uncapped gamers in a 17-man squad. Opening batsman Imran Butt and left-arm spinner Nauman Ali might make their check debuts on Tuesday.
Azam additionally mentioned Pakistan would possibly go along with an extra spinner together with Yasir Shah.
“We have practiced here for a week now and the wicket looks a bit slow,” Azam mentioned.
South Africa additionally has left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj to pose issues for the house group. The vacationers have been practising for the final six days to get used to the circumstances.
Only South Africa coach Mark Boucher has beforehand performed red-ball cricket in Pakistan, whereas the skilled Faf du Plessis has twice toured Pakistan during the last 4 years however performed solely within the Twenty20 format. Du Plessis led a World XI group to Pakistan for 3 Twenty20s in 2017 after which final 12 months represented Peshawar Zalmi within the Pakistan Super League playoffs.
“I’m sure this Pakistan team is going to be tough,” South Africa captain Quinton de Kock mentioned when the group arrived. “I think our biggest challenge is the conditions that we could face, the unknowing of the things that we have to deal with.”
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Squads:
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Yasir Shah, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Tabish Khan.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (captain), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Marco Jansen.
