Pakistan Win Toss, Opt to Bat First in Opening Test 

Shan Masood leads Pakistan, while Aiden Markram captains South Africa in the two-Test series.

Pakistan picked Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali, while South Africa opted for three spinners.

The series marks the start of Pakistan’s ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 campaign.

News Desk 

Lahore: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test of the two-match series against defending champions South Africa, marking the start of their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 campaign at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Captain Shan Masood said Pakistan aim to make full use of home conditions, while South Africa skipper Aiden Markram expressed confidence in his team’s preparations, noting that his players are accustomed to similar subcontinental conditions.

For the series opener, Pakistan have included spinners Sajid Khan and Nauman Ali in their playing XI, while South Africa have opted for a three-spinner strategy to counter Pakistan’s spin-friendly tracks.

Playing XIs

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

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

The first Test will be played from October 12 to 16 in Lahore, while the second Test is scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from October 20 to 24.

Pakistan’s WTC 2025–27 Fixtures

Under the new WTC cycle, each team plays six series — three at home and three away — comprising between two and five Tests each. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the WTC Final.

Over the next two years, Pakistan will feature in 13 Test matches:

Home Series: South Africa (Oct 2025), Sri Lanka (Nov 2026), New Zealand (Mar 2027)

Away Series: Bangladesh (Mar 2026), West Indies (Jul 2026), England (Aug–Sep 2026)

The national side will look to make a strong start in Lahore to set the tone for a competitive WTC campaign.