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Rizwan Drops Salman Agha; Babar Azam, Shaheen Included As Pakistan Set To Bowl

Anurag Dasgupta

Rizwan goes in with a strong playing XI Pakistan to take on South Africa [Source: @AmeerHamzaAsif/X.Com] Rizwan goes in with a strong playing XI Pakistan to take on South Africa [Source: @AmeerHamzaAsif/X.Com]

The wait is over as the first T20I between South Africa and Pakistan is set to kick-off from the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban. Both the sides are evenly matched and it will be a riveting battle as the multi-format series starts from today.

South Africa have been on a downward curve since the T20 World Cup final. In their last T30I series at home against India, a young visiting side demolished them and won the series comfortably. A lot of key players are out of form and the home team will hope that they return back to old self when the match against Pakistan commences.

On the other hand, Pakistan have won just 9 out of the 25 T20Is they have played this year and have had mixed results in the last two series they have played. Against Australia, they were thrashed 3-0 and the Pakistan side barely managed to beat the Zimbabwe side, 2-1 in their last outing. Interestingly, Pakistan announced their playing XI well before the toss and all the seniors like Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are back in the side.

Both the sides have had mixed fortunes this year, but will look to turn things around in the first game of the series.

PAK Vs SA T20: Proteas set to bat

Heinrich Klaasen won the toss and he decided to bat first on a generally batting paradise at the Kingsmead Durban. He wanted to utilise the batting conditions and put some runs on the board. In the last match at this venue, India scored 202 runs, and it shows the good batting nature of the Durban surface.

Pakistan, actually raised the eyebrows as they decided to drop Salman Agha from the playing XI. He was a vital member of the squad, but Rizwan decided against his selection.

PAK Vs SA T20: Playing XIs

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan Niazi, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed

South Africa: Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Matthew Breetzke, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (c & wk), Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Andile Simelane, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Ottneil Baartman