South Africa (AP) — South Africa opted to bat first against Pakistan in the first test on Thursday to book its place in the World Test Championship final.
The teams loaded their XIs with four fast bowlers each and didn’t send in a spin specialist for the Boxing Day test match on a SuperSport Park surface where pace has ruled the past six years.
South Africa test debutant Corbin Bosch who will be joined by veteran fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen with Dane Paterson as the fourth fast bowler will make his home ground debut.
South Africa – at the top of the WTC points table – needs to win one of two tests against Pakistan to guarantee an appearance in next June’s Lord’s final.
Besides, seventh-place Pakistan also got an edge over home team and contained four fast bowlers — Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Aamer Jamal.
Abbas was back for test cricket after more than three years and Naseem came back after missing the last two home matches against England in October.
Injury-scarred Shahzad also misses three home test matches against England but was chosen over left-arm paceman Mir Hamza.
No.10 Batsman Babar Azam, who can not cope in red-ball cricket, will take up his place at No. 3 after being axed from last two test matches against England on unmotivated form.
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas.
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson, Corbin Bosch.