Pakistan vs South Africa Prediction: Pakistan and South Africa will start their campaigns in the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
It is time for Pakistan and South Africa to begin their campaign for the World Test Championship 2025-27. South Africa are the current holder of the WTC mace, and they are touring Pakistan for a multi-format series, including two tests. Pakistan and South Africa will compete in the first test at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, starting at 10 AM IST on October 12 (Sunday).
The WTC-winning captain, Temba Bavuma, has been ruled out due to injury, and Aiden Markram has been given the responsibility to lead South Africa. Lead spinner Keshav Maharaj is also injured; Simon Harper has been drafted into the squad with Senuran Muthuswamy as the spin option. Shan Masood will also look to start the new WTC cycle with a win at home. They have added three uncapped players to their squad. Superstar Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will also be back for them.
PAK vs SA: Match Info.
· Series: South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025
· Match: Pakistan vs South Africa, 1st Test
· Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
· Time: 10:00 AM IST
· Date: October 12-16, 2025 (Sunday-Thursday)
Pakistan vs South Africa: Head-to-Head: PAK (06) – SA (17)
Pakistan and South Africa have played a total of 30 tests so far. The Proteas have managed to win 17 games, and Pakistan have ended up with 6 wins, while the remaining seven games have been drawn.
PAK vs SA: Pitch Report
The surface at Gaddafi Stadium is generally good for batting. But with Pakistan's new approach in home test matches, the wicket is likely to be slow and low, which will assist the spinners. The wicket will break, and there will be a fast turn from the second day onwards, which makes the batting-first decision an advantage at the toss.
PAK vs SA: Live Streaming Details
· TV: Sony Sports Network
· Digital: Sony LIV (App or website)
PAK vs SA: Weather Report
The weather forecast for the scheduled days in Lahore for the first test will be pretty good and bright. The temperature is predicted to stay between 27 and 30°C, with an average wind speed of 7-10 kmph and expected humidity around 50-65 percent.
PAK vs SA: Last Five Results
Pakistan: W, L, L, W, L
South Africa: W, W, W, W, W
Pakistan vs South Africa: Predicted XIs:
Pakistan: S. Masood (C), A. Shafique, B. Azam, K. Ghulam, S. Shakeel, Md. Rizwan, S. Agha, S. Khan, A. Ahmed, K. Shahzad, A. Afridi
South Africa: A. Markram (C), R. Rickelton, W. Mulder, T. Stubbs, D. Bedingham, C. Bosch, K. Verreynne, M. Jansen, S. Muthusamy, S. Harmer, K. Rabada
PAK vs SA: Probable Best Batter
Pakistan: Babar Azam is probably the best batter in this lineup. He is technically sound and plays the spin well, which will be a big aspect for this test.
South Africa: Aiden Markram has been in great form in the white-ball cricket. But his stats in the Test are even better, and he has the experience of playing in Pakistan.
PAK vs SA: Probable Best Bowler
Pakistan: Noman Ali has been in the form of his life, and spin pitches have also helped him in recent times. He has 35 wickets in four tests, which is a pretty incredible stat.
South Africa: Kagiso Rabada can swing and reverse swing the ball. Though the pitch might favor spin more, the bowler of his caliber can take wickets anywhere.
Pakistan vs South Africa Today’s Match Prediction: Pakistan have been pretty effective since they have adapted the spin-wicket formula at home. That is their best bet to win this game. They have a settled batting unit and players who have been playing together for 2-3 years now. South Africa have an inexperienced batting unit, which can be a challenge in tough conditions.
Hence, Pakistan are in better shape, and they will start this game as favorites. But South Africa can't be written off at any moment. Pakistan's unpredictability can make them lose a game from any position.
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