SA vs PAK 2024/25, SA vs PAK 1st Test Match Preview

Overview – Can Pakistan give ODI momentum in Test series?

There is another Boxing Day test, but this one is also important. If South Africa win at SuperSport Park, they will guarantee a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. If Pakistan wins, it will keep the external hope (so much so that it will also exact an excessive penalty for South Africa) of reaching the Lord alive, but more importantly, it will keep a nation in suspense for another week.

In reality, South Africa have some room to maneuver as they only need to win one of the next two Tests to advance to the WTC final. Even with the rain hovering around the Highveld, they will be keen to take their chances against a team who have not recorded a Test victory in this country for almost 18 years and who have not won a Test outside of Asia since their victory against the West Indies in August 2021. But the pressure is strange. things for players, especially South African players, and Pakistan, despite all the drama surrounding them, are a team that could exploit that.

They passed through a revolving door of coaches, selectors and administrators before coming to South Africa and were already in the country when their Test coach resigned, two weeks before the start of the series. Yet the build-up to this Boxing Day Test had none of the shenanigans of Melbourne, mainly because both teams were preoccupied with an ODI contest that serves as preparation for the Champions Trophy. Ten South African and seven Pakistani players from their respective Test teams participated in this competition, which Pakistan won 3–0. If momentum is a factor, it’s surely with them.

South Africa’s batting, in particular, was undone and, worryingly for them, three of their top four (Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs) all fell to Salman Agha during the first ODI. Conditions are unlikely to suit him at SuperSport Park, but the mental scars could be there and Temba Bavuma hopes overcoming them will be easy. “Whether it’s easy or hard, we have to find a way to make it happen,” he said. “No matter, I don’t know, the trauma that was there, you know, guys will have to deal with it.”

Bavuma was quick to point out that the Test space is different because it is where South Africa have more stability and focus with an immediate target of the WTC final. The opposite could be said of Pakistan, who have won three successive ODI series and are heading to a Champions Trophy at home where they are defending the title.

This may mean the teams approach this match with slightly different priorities in terms of current form, but that will not downplay the sense of occasion. A high-stakes Boxing Day Test, taking place at the same time as another Boxing Day Test, with even more at stake. It doesn’t get any bigger than that.

Form guide

South Africa: WWWWW (last five tests, most recent first)
Pakistan: WWLLL

In the spotlight – Aiden Markram and Mohammad Abbas

It’s as if Aiden Markram has had a tough time in all formats this year, but his main difficulties have come from the format in which he is captain. He only has a score above 30 in 18 T20Is in 2024, and a fifty in six ODIs hasn’t helped his cause either. , but his Test form has shown signs of improvement. After a New Year’s Test century, Markram has reached fifty at Providence and Gqeberha and is also someone Bavuma says he “leans on a lot” when it comes to tactics and inspiration for younger players. Crucially, Markram enjoys the continued support of his teammates and Bavuma in particular, who says he “sympathizes” with what Markram is going through, but “that’s what makes elite sport difficult.” meet these challenges. And usually when you get to the other side, that’s where the satisfaction lies.

It’s now or never for Mohammed Abbas who, at 34, is about to make his comeback after three years of absence from the national team, apparently without explanation. Abbas played 25 Tests between April 2017 and August 2021 and took 90 wickets at 23:02, but was sidelined in favor of young quicks despite excellent numbers on the county circuit. He had four successful seasons at Hampshire where he took 180 wickets at 19.26 and finished among the top 10 wicket-takers in 2022 and 2023, and just outside in 2024. This season he is second highest wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and deserved a recall and hope it counts. Abbas is 10 wickets away from 100 in Test cricket and if he achieves this, he will be the 20th bowler from Pakistan to reach the landmark.

Team News

Keshav Maharaj (groin strain) and Wiaan Mulder (broken finger) underwent fitness tests before the match, but are not yet deemed fit for the match. South Africa chose to go without a front-rower – and without spin-bowling all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy – and opted for a 7-4 split. Corbin Bosch, who regularly bowls at over 140 kmph, will make his debut on his home ground and share bowling duties with Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson and Marco Jansen. Ryan Rickelton was retained at #3 and Tristan Stubbs moved to #4.

South Africa (probable): 1 Tony de Zorzi, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Temba Bavuma (captain), 6 David Bedingham, 7 Kyle Verreynne (week), 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dane Paterson , 11 Corbin Bosch.

Pakistan could follow South Africa’s lead and go all out, which would mean there would be no place for Noman Ali, although they would still have Salman Agha at their disposal. In the stitching department, Abbas, Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad are therefore likely to partner 21-year-old attack leader Naseem Shah.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (captain), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (week), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Khurram Shahzad, 10 Naseem Shah , 11 Mohammad Abbas

Location and conditions

There was significant rainfall on the Highveld in the run-up to this test match, which made pitch preparation at SuperSport Park “difficult”, in the words of one source. After two days, the coating was quite green, just like its reputation. Centurion is the most friendly wicket in the country, which also makes it the most difficult for batters. While Bavuma said he had “never played on a flat Centurion wicket”, days two and three are usually good for scoring runs, but with the clouds overhead, batters “will know your work is going to be reduced for you and you are going to have to work hard for your races.” The match could also be interrupted due to thunderstorms forecast for the first morning and afternoon as well as the second and third afternoons.

Statistics and anecdotes

Eight batters have scored Test centuries for South Africa in 2024. This is their most in a calendar year and their most in 12 years. They have already had eight centurions in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
Pakistan have won two of the 15 Tests they have played in South Africa, none since 2007, and none of the three at SuperSport Park. Their two victories came at St George’s Park and Kingsmead, the grounds which hosted Sri Lanka’s recent series.
Kagiso Rabada is three wickets away from overtaking Dale Steyn and becoming the leading wicket-taker at SuperSport Park. Rabada has only played eight Tests there and has taken fewer than five wickets here on just one occasion, against India in 2018. He averages just over seven wickets per Test at Centurion.
Since January 2018, there have been seven Tests at SuperSport Park and a clear advantage for the seam bowlers. They took 227 wickets at 23.22, compared to 16 wickets at 60.62 by the spinners.

Quotes

“We accept and acknowledge the fact that a lot of expectations would have increased on the team. That will bring pressure. But to be honest with you, we are going into the series to win the series 2-0. We understand that for To get there, we have to do a few things as a team: keep things simple, continue to do the little things well, and allow the results to take care of themselves. Obviously, one of those results is to get there. qualify for the WTC final and I would obviously like to see us there But we are here now.
Temba Bavuma keeps South Africa in the moment even as they aim for the big prize of reaching the WTC final.

“When I went to Australia, I didn’t have time to prepare well. It was my first overseas tour there, and I made mistakes, but I also learned what that I could change Here, in similar conditions, I had time to prepare and get into a positive state of mind.
Pakistani dough Saud Shakeel he feels like he’s in a good position to tackle the series