PAK vs SA 1st T20I Match Prediction, South Africa tour vs Pakistan 2025: Fantasy Tips, Playing 11, Pitch Report & More 

PAK vs SA: Let’s get ready for the T20I action as Pakistan and South Africa are ready to lock horns in the three-match series. The first T20I will kick off at 8:30 PM IST on Tuesday (October 28) at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Donovan Ferreira will lead South Africa, and Salman Agha will lead the hosts. Here are the fantasy cricket tips and other details about this game.

Pakistan Preview

Pakistan would have been unhappy with the result in the test series. But the format is changed now, and they have made many statements about how they would want to carry in T20Is. But they have yet to deliver the result. Can they do this at home?

• Key Batter: Babar Azam and Sahibzada Farhan will be two players to watch out for.
• Captaincy: Captain Salman Agha was struggling with his own form in T20Is. But he had a pretty impressive test series and showed good batting form.
• Batting Strength: Fakhar Zaman’s absence was a big surprise because of the approach he brings in. Saim Ayub is lucky to be retained. Babar will surely provide the calmness in the middle, and other batters can play around him with a good strike rate.
• Bowling Attack: Haris Rauf and Sufyan Muqeem are not in the squad. That means Shaheen, Naseem, Faheem, Nawaz and Abrar will be in the likely bowling attack for Pakistan. This looks like a good combination, but they have to look for the fifth bowling option.

South Africa Preview

South Africa have rested some seniors from the squad and given chances to young players who have been with the team for the last year or so. They have done well in recent times and are very good. They are a good side across all departments.

• Batting: Players like Brevis, Rickelton, and Ferreira are strikers of the cricket ball. They will keep the pressure on Pakistan consistently. De Kock, Hendricks, and Breetzke are very good at taking the game forward. So, they have a really good batting unit.
• Bowling: Lungi Ngidi and Nandre Burger will be the opening duo for South Africa. George Linde has been pretty good with the ball in recent times, and Ottneil Baartman is another good T20I bowler to have.

Match Details – Pakistan vs South Africa, 1st T20I

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Pitch and Weather Report

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has a flat wicket, which has a lot of runs for the batting sides. It has hosted a total of 8 T20Is so far; two have been called off. Meanwhile, the other six matches have ended in favor of the chasing side. The average score in the first innings here is around 140-145.

The weather during the scheduled time on Tuesday will be clear, and the maximum temperature is likely to be around 22°C–24°C. There will be no rain, and the humidity will be between 50 and 60 percent.

PAK vs SA Head to Head Record

PAK vs SA Today’s Probable 11

Key Players to Watch Out in Pakistan vs South Africa Match

Top Batters

• Babar Azam (PAK): Babar Azam has a great record, and he is just nine runs away from becoming the leading scorer in T20 internationals.
• Sahibzada Farhan (PAK): Sahibzada Farhan was the most successful batter for Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025. He will be the one to watch out for.
• Dewald Brevis (SA): Dewald Brevis has been a pretty exciting addition to the South African T20I side. He has played some blistering knocks in his short T20I career.
• Ryan Rickleton (SA): Ryan Rickelton is another young player who has shown promise in his young career. He can be very aggressive if he gets going.

Top Bowlers

• Shaheen Afridi (PAK): Shaheen Afridi had a good Test series, and he was also at his best in the Asia Cup 2025 and took wickets in the backend of the tournament.
• Abrar Ahmed (PAK): Abrar Ahmed is not an easy bowler to pick. These young South African batters might find it hard to pick him.
• Lungi Ngidi (SA): Lungi Ngidi has been an excellent T20I bowler. He bowls very good slow balls, and it becomes hard to hit him for boundaries.
• George Linde (SA): George Linde is a traditional T20 spinner. He bowls fast and keeps it wicket to wicket, making it hard to line him up.

PAK vs SA Match Prediction – Who Will Win?

This will be the test of two good teams. Pakistan have been under the scanner after some poor shows in recent times. So, they have to prove a lot to their fans. South Africa look more settled. as Pakistan are still searching for their best T20I combination. That is why South Africa might start the game as favorites.

PAK vs SA Match Prediction Scenarios

Disclaimer: This prediction is based on analysis of current form, stats, and pitch conditions. Match outcomes can vary due to on-field factors. Please make your final fantasy picks after checking the toss and playing XIs.