πππππ :Β South Africa vs Pakistan
ππππ : December 26 ,Thursdayββ
ππππ :β 13:30 PM ISTβββββ
πππππ : SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium, Centurion, South Africa
ππππππππππ :ββ 1st Test 2024
Pakistan have never won a Test series in South Africa and have remained winless here in their last six Tests.
- South Africa have remained unbeaten over their last five Test matches.
- Pakistanβs chances in this Test may hinge on the performance of their fast bowlers.
- The game is likely to be frequently interrupted by rain as the forecast shows a few showers on all five days of the match.
South Africa vs Pakistan
TV channels: The fans can watch the match live on Hotstar
Live Streaming: Live streaming of the match will be available on the FAFA191 Cricket Exchange India and website.
RSA vs PAK Match Prediction & Analysis
South Africa will face Pakistan in the first Test at Centurion on Boxing Day.Β Sitting at the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings, the Proteas need just one win from their two home games against Pakistan to secure a spot in next yearβs final at Lordβs.Β Pakistan, who triumphed 2-1 against England in their October home series on spin-friendly tracks, prepared for this Test series by whitewashing their hosts 3-0 in ODIs last week. However, the Proteas are exceptionally strong on home ground, and overcoming them will require a special effort.
TEAMS PREVIEW
South Africa Preview
South Africa may have come up short in the ODI series at home against Pakistan, but their Test squad is a different story. The team recently whitewashed both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and will be eager to continue their winning streak.
Temba Bavuma will captain the side, bringing strong form to the table. His recent performances against Sri Lanka included three fifties and a century in just four innings. Tristan Stubbs has also made waves in his debut year, racking up two hundreds and a fifty in just seven matches.
Pakistan Preview
Pakistan head into this Test series with renewed confidence after their historic ODI whitewash of South Africa at home. That said, the challenges of Test cricket are different, and they will need to step up to compete on what promises to be a seaming wicket.
The batting unit has its work cut out against South Africaβs formidable pace attack. Saud Shakeel and Salman Agha, who were the top two run-getters in Pakistanβs Test win over England, will be key to holding the innings together.Β Meanwhile, young Saim Ayub, fresh off two stunning ODI hundreds against South Africa, will look to make his mark in the longer format.
Captain Shan Masood and Babar Azam, known for their composure, will play pivotal roles in anchoring the innings.Β
Weather Conditions
SuperSport Park, Centurion, typically offers a pace-friendly surface with consistent bounce and carry, favoring fast bowlers, especially early on. The pitch tends to quicken as the game progresses. Overhead conditions often influence swing, adding another layer of challenge for batters. Historically, it rewards disciplined batting and aggressive bowling.
The weather forecast shows that Centurion will see cloudy skies on five days of the Test with chances of rain interrupting proceedings regularly.
RSA vs PAK Pitch Report
The average first innings score at SuperSport Park is 327. The average runs per wicket at the venue is just 29.81. The team batting first will be looking to get a score between 300-350 runs to feel secure.
Toss: To Bowl
Both teams are likely to look to field first and restrict the opposition for a low score on the first day when the wicket is likely to be at its liveliest.Β