South Africa cricket team to tour Pakistan after 14 years
PCB says that both Tests will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship
December 09, 2020
LAHORE: The South African cricket team will tour Pakistan after 14 long years to play a series comprising two Test matches and three Twenty20 Internationals.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Wednesday that the Proteas will play two Test matches, one in Karachi and the other in Rawalpindi while all three T20Is will be played in Lahore.
The PCB said that both Tests will be a part of the ICC World Test Championship.
According to the schedule, the South African cricket team will arrive in Karachi on January 16 and play the first Test of the series from January 26 to 30 at the National Stadium, Karachi after which they will go to Rawalpindi to play the second and final Test from February 4 to 8.
Later, they will play all three matches of the T20Is series at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 11, 13 and 14.
The visitors, after arriving in Pakistan, will complete their isolation period in Karachi after which they will be allowed to take part in training sessions and intra-squad practice matches.
This will be South Africa's first tour of Pakistan after 2007 as Pakistan had played their home series against the Proteas at a neutral venue - United Arab Emirates - in 2010 and 2013.
Pakistan and South Africa are playing Test cricket with each other since 1995 and have so far played 11 Test series, out of which the Proteas have won seven series whereas Pakistan emerged victorious in only one.
Hence, the series will be a golden chance for the Babar Azam-led Pakistan cricket team to defeat South Africa in a Test series after a long period of 18 years.
South Africa are placed sixth in the current Test rankings while Pakistan are placed on the seventh position.
It is interesting to note that Pakistan have never played a T20I match against South Africa at home and now this will be their first series of T20Is at home against the visitors.
Earlier, the two teams had played two T20I series in UAE and South Africa had emerged the victor in both series.
