Pakistan wins toss, elects to bat against world champion South Africa in 1st test

By Canadian Press on October 11, 2025.

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the coin toss Sunday and elected to bat against world champion South Africa in the opening match of the new World Test Championship cycle for both teams.

South Africa is coming off a 10-match winning streak that saw Temba Bavuma lead the side to the WTC title at Lord’s in a five-wicket victory over Australia in the final.

Bavuma will miss the two-test series due to a calf injury he sustained during the limited-overs series against England, with Aiden Markram stepping in as skipper for the Proteas.

South Africa are also without key left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who is still recovering from a groin injury and is available only for the second test, starting at Rawalpindi from Oct. 20.

South Africa packed its side with three specialist spinners — Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer and Prenelan Subrayen – in a hope an abrasive wicket at the Gaddafi Stadium will suit the slow bowlers.

Pakistan came into the new WTC cycle with only three wins in its last 12 test matches. Off-spinner Sajid Khan has recovered from flu and will pair with left-arm spinner Noman Ali to counter a strong South African batting lineup with Salman Ali Agha providing another spin option for the home team.

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will be playing his first test in a year while Pakistan also included paceman Hasan Ali, who last played in this format against Australia at Sydney in January 2024.

Gaddafi Stadium is hosting only its second test match since test cricket returned to Pakistan in 2019 after a decade in hiatus.

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Lineups:

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne, Senuran Muthusamy, Simon Harmer, Kagiso Rabada, Prenelan Subrayen.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press

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