Watch cricket video highlights of Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25. Second Test between South Africa and Pakistan. Venue of the match will be Cape Town.
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On a warm but partly overcast morning in Cape Town, Temba Bavuma won a second consecutive toss and decided to bat first against Pakistan. The Newlands pitch, which was given a poor rating when the Test last year ended in 107 overs due to excessive seam movement and inconsistent bounce, will be the center of attention. Despite last year, the surface is often ideal for batting on the first two days and looks similar to the pitches at Newlands: it is mottled green and has less grass than SuperSport Park.
Three changes from the team that won at SuperSport Park were included in South Africa’s XI, which was revealed the night before the game. Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj are back to full fitness, and 18-year-old left-arm tearaway Kwena Maphaka will play in his first Test match. He makes history as the youngest player to play for South Africa in a Test match. Dane Paterson at his home stadium and Corbin Bosch, who made his debut at SuperSport Park, were both left out, and Tony de Zorzi is out due to a problem in his left thigh.
Mulder has risen to No. 3 ahead of Tristan Stubbs, and Ryan Rickelton will begin with Aiden Markram. Salman Agha and, to a lesser extent, Saim Ayub are likely to bear that weight for Pakistan, who decided against using a specialist spinner when their XI was announced earlier Friday morning. Agha stated in the pregame that he wanted to have more opportunities here, despite the fact that he did not bowl at all at SuperSport Park. Injury was the only thing that changed them. Mir Hamza is on the team, and Naseem Shah is out due to a stiff back.
Following South Africa’s qualifying for the World Test Championship final, large crowds are anticipated to support them on the first and second days at Newlands, which are sellouts…
