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

PAK vs WI: The current WTC mace holder, South Africa, will tour Pakistan for a multi-format series. This will begin with a two-match test series. The first test will kick off at 10 AM IST on Sunday at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Here are the cricket fantasy tips and complete details of the upcoming test in Lahore.

Pakistan Preview

There have been many ups and downs in Pakistan Cricket for the last few months. But this will be the start of the new home season for them. Shan Masood has been retained as the Test captain and will be looking for a win. Superstars like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will be back for Pakistan.

• Key Batter: Babar Azam and Shan Masood will be two players to watch out for in this test.
• Captaincy: Captain Masood is under the scanner after the test team has found it hard to get going. His own form is below average, so this series will be important for him as the captain.
• Batting Strength: The batting unit for Pakistan is very strong. They have Babar, Rizwan, Imam, Shafique, and Shakeel, who are all technically sound players, which you need to form a strong batting unit.
• Bowling Attack: Pakistan have adapted the strategy to “Spin to Win” in the last few home series. They have formed a good spin unit, and Shaheen and Hasan will be good pacers for these surfaces.

South Africa Preview

South Africa are the current holder of the WTC mace and will be looking to kick off the new campaign with a win. These two tests will be difficult for them, but they have done well in the recent past in tough conditions, and one can expect them to come hard.

• Batting: Captain Temba Bavuma is not available due to injury, so Aiden Markram will be leading the squad. South Africa have a good and young side with some exciting faces. They will be ready for this new challenge.
• Bowling: Rabada and Jansen make a great pace-bowling duo. Then they have two good all-rounders, Mulder and Bosch, and a few good spinners. The only thing which can be a worry will be their spin unit, which is a little inexperienced.

Match Details – Pakistan vs South Africa, 1st Test

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Pitch and Weather Report

Gaddafi Stadium has been a good batting venue, which offers a flat wicket in white-ball games. But as Pakistan have started to produce spin wickets, one can expect this wicket to behave in a certain way after the first few days. The team should bat first, because the first two days will be great for batting, until the pitch starts to tear out.

The weather in the coming days in Lahore will be consistent, with the maximum temperature going around 31°C and the average humidity of 50-60 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 been away from cricket for some time now, and we all know how good he is. He will be eager to get a good score under his belt.
• Saud Shakeel (PAK): Saud Shakeel has been in brilliant form in tests. He has had a great start to his test career and will be looking to continue.
• Aiden Markram (SA): Aiden Markram is the most experienced batter for South Africa. Being a captain, he will be looking to lead from the front and score runs with the bat.
• Tristan Stubbs (SA): Tristan Stubbs has been very underrated in Tests. He is an excellent white-ball batter but can make a big impact in Tests as well.

Top Bowlers

• Noman Ali (PAK): Noman Ali has been the leading wicket-taker for Pakistan at home. He uses the spin conditions well and will be a difficult bowler to face.
• Shaheen Afridi (PAK): Shaheen Afridi showed good form in T20Is and will be confident about making an impact in tests as well.
• Kagiso Rabada (SA): Kagiso Rabada has always delivered with the ball when it is required. He can adjust to the conditions quickly and alter his length as required.
• Marco Jansen (SA): Marco Jansen is a great bowler with the new ball when it is swinging. But he has also developed wicket-taking ability with the old ball with reverse swing.

PAK vs SA Match Prediction – Who Will Win?

Pakistan have beaten England at home with spin pitches, and they might look to offer the same conditions to South Africa. Yes, South Africa have an inexperienced batting lineup, which can be exposed in tough conditions, but they also have a pretty good bowling attack. Hence, we will go by the history and pick South Africa to beat Pakistan in the first test.

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.