Pakistan bring back pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for South Africa series

Lahore, Oct 10 (PTI) Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will make a return to Test cricket after nearly 17 months as Pakistan will go in with two spinners and two pacers in the first Test against South Africa, beginning October 12 in Lahore.

Despite all the talk about preparing spin pitches and including four specialist spinners in their 16-member squad, the Pakistan team management has decided to keep a balanced attack for the first Test with Shaheen Shah Afridi set to share the new ball with Khurrum Shahzad. Veteran spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan will handle the spin duties.

The 25-year old Shaheen last played a Test against England in May 2024. In fact the left armer played just four tests since December 2023 as he was dropped after the first game against England for remaining two tests against and the two matches in South Africa early this year and a home series against West Indies.

The last Test Pakistan played at home in January against the West Indies in Multan they picked just one pacer, debutant Kashif Ali and went in with three spinners but still ended up losing the match.

The current two-Tests series is the first for both teams in the current ICC World Test Championship cycle after South Africa won the final of the last cycle beating Australia in June at Lords.

Though the Pakistan team management has yet to make an official announcement about the playing eleven but it is expected to include Abdullah Shafique, Imam ul Haq, Shan Masood (Capt) Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurrum Shahzad, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan.

The Pakistan Cricket Board in a bid to attract more crowds to the Test match have for the first time announced free entry for several enclosures.

South Africa are without their regular captain, Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram who scored a hundred in the WTC final will be leading them.

South Africa squad includes: Batters: Aiden Markram (c), David Bedingham, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Zubayr Hamza, Ryan Rickelton, Kyle Verrynne, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Kagiso Rabada, Senuran Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, Simon Harmar and Keshiv Maharaj (available for only second test). PTI Corr AT AT