Key points
- Teams tied with 12 wins each
- South Africa won recent series 2-0
- Pakistan aims to recover from Asia Cup loss
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and South Africa are set to face off today in the first T20I of their three-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM local time.
Historically, the two teams have been evenly matched in T20 internationals. Out of 24 encounters, both sides have won 12 matches each, highlighting a balanced rivalry.
The most recent series between them concluded in December 2024, with South Africa clinching the series 2-0. In the second T20I of that series, Reeza Hendricks played a pivotal role, scoring 117 runs off 63 balls, leading South Africa to a seven-wicket victory over Pakistan.
Building momentum
Pakistan enters this series aiming to rebound from their recent Asia Cup performances, where they were defeated by India in all three encounters, including the final.
The team is eager to leverage home advantage and build momentum ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The upcoming matches are expected to be closely contested, with both teams looking to assert dominance in the shortest format of the game. Fans can look forward to an exciting series as Pakistan and South Africa battle it out on the field.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), and Usman Tariq
South Africa: Donovan Ferreira (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Matthew Breetzke, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Tony de Zorzi, Andile Simelane and Lizaad Williams.
