PAK vs SA: South Africa squad arrives for first Pakistan: The South African team landed in Karachi on Saturday to play three T20Is and two Tests on their first Pakistan tour in 14 years. The 21-member squad is led by wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock. The touring party had two COVID-19 tests before their departure from Johannesburg which all came back negative, and they will be further tested on their arrival.
Officials say the squad will stay in individual isolation until the results of the first round of testing are released before they start training in a ground adjacent to their hotel.
Pakistan and South Africa will play the first Test in Karachi from January 26.
Touchdown Karachi! 🇵🇰🏏🇿🇦 #Proteas #SeeUsOnThePitch pic.twitter.com/DORzYCEl1X
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) January 16, 2021
The second Test starts in Rawalpindi from February 4 while Lahore will host all three Twenty20 internationals on February 11, 13 and 14.
South Africa’s head coach Mark Boucher has showed satisfaction with the security arrangements in Pakistan.
“We’ve had our (security) guys go there (to Pakistan) and do a recce of the situation and they have said it is safe,” Boucher told reporters ahead of the team’s departure on Friday.
“So from my side there are no issues, we have to get back there and start playing cricket,” said Boucher, part of South Africa’s last tour to Pakistan in 2007.
South Africa to play two Tests in Pakistan, the first Test will be played in Karachi from 26 January.#HarHaalMainCricket pic.twitter.com/NiyhbMUAzx
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 16, 2021
International cricket was suspended in Pakistan following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in March 2009.
Pakistan has gradually hosted teams again in the last five years before Test cricket was revived in late 2019 when Sri Lanka toured for two Tests.
Pakistan and South Africa’s squad for the Test series:
Babar Azam (Captain), Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Yasir Shah, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tabish Khan.
Quinton de Kock (Captain) Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Ottniel Baartman.