Karachi (Web Desk): South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first in the first Test of two-match series against Pakistan at Karachi’s National Stadium on Tuesday.
It is the first tour by a South African side to Pakistan since 2007 and the two teams are play their first Test in Pakistan after 14 years.
The match is being described as a "monumental moment" for the revival of international cricket in Pakistan.
With two spinners, Keshav Maharaj and George Linde, to exploit a bare pitch which is expected to take spin.
Babar Azam will make his Test captaincy debut against the South Africa team. He has recovered from a thumb injury that kept him out of the two-Test series in New Zealand.
Pakistan handed Test caps to 34-year-old left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and 25-year-old opener Imran Butt in a combination of three pacers and two spinners.
Meanwhile, Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar, who has officiated on-field in the most international games (391), is supervising his first test in Pakistan since making his debut in 2000.
Aleem Dar got his first opportunity at home after the International Cricket Council (ICC) permitted local match officials for international matches because of travel restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Teams
Pakistan
Babar Azam (captain), Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan, Nauman Ali, Yasir Shah, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi
South Africa
Quinton de Kock (capt), Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, George Linde
