South Africa wins the toss, choosing to bat first against Pakistan – Aitrend

Captain of Pakistan and South Africa during the draw. - Facebook/@PakistanCricketBoard
Captain of Pakistan and South Africa during the draw. – Facebook/@PakistanCricketBoard
  • Right-arm spinner Naseem Shah returns to the team.
  • The series marks Rizwan’s third stint as ODI captain.
  • Markram comes in as stand-in captain in Bavuma’s absence.

South Africa chose to bat first after beating Pakistan in the first One Day International (ODI) of the three-match series at Boland Park, Paarl on Wednesday.

Earlier, Pakistan announced their XI for the opening match, featuring a mix of veteran players and promising newcomers as the team looks to make a strong start to the series.

Right-back Naseem Shah has returned to the team and will be joined by captains Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi.

Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafiq will open the batting for the Men in Green.

- Facebook/@PakistanCricketBoard
– Facebook/@PakistanCricketBoard

This series marks Mohammad Rizwan’s third stint as captain of the Pakistan ODI team.

His leadership journey began in November against Australia in a three-match ODI series, where he successfully guided the team to a 2-1 win, Pakistan’s first win on Australian soil in 22 years.

Rizwan’s second stint was against Zimbabwe, as the Men in Green prevailed 2-1 in the three-match ODI series.

However, the start of the South Africa tour was not kind to Pakistan, as the team lost the three-match T20I series 2-0.

On the other hand, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma will miss the opening ODI against Pakistan in Paarl on Tuesday as part of a strategic move to manage his workload ahead of the crucial two-Test series.

Aiden Markram has been named stand-in captain for the first match, with Bavuma expected to return for the rest of the series.

The decision underscores South Africa’s efforts to balance players’ workload and readiness as they prepare for upcoming major tournaments, including the 2025 Champions Trophy and the pivotal Test series.

The red-ball series holds great significance as South Africa aim to secure a place in the World Test Championship final.

Playing eleven

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan (C/WK), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.

South Africa: Tony De Zorzi, Ryan Rickleton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaassen (wk), Marco Janssen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Otneil Baartman, Tabriz Shamsi

Head to head

Pakistan and South Africa have played a total of 83 ODI matches. Of these, Pakistan has won 30 times, while South Africa has achieved victories 52 times. One match ended without a result.

  • Matches played: 83
  • Pakistan won: 30
  • South Africa won: 52

Form guide

Pakistan will continue their winning momentum after recording back-to-back ODI series victories against Australia and Zimbabwe, both by 2-1 margins.

Likewise, South Africa is also enjoying winning momentum, having defeated Ireland 2-1 in its previous series.

Leave a Comment