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South Africa
Pakistan
After finishing up the ODI series, South Africa and Pakistan will meet each other in a 2-match Test series. The first Test is scheduled to begin on 26th December at the SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium, Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa.
The Proteas currently stand at the top of the World Test Championship point table with 6 wins and 3 losses. They only need a single win to cement their space for the WTC finals and manage to gain four points to reach a total of 55.56 points. It will be enough for them to book their tickets to Lordβs for next year.
Pakistan currently stands at the 7th spot in the World Test Championship point table with 4 wins and 6 losses. Their chances of reaching the final fixture are very bleak. Even if they win the remaining Test futures of the ongoing WTC cycle, Pakistan might fail to finish at the top two spots of the point table.
He is the leading wicket-taker for the team in 2024 with 35 wickets in 7 Tests at an economy of 2.76.
The betting tip is...
Keshav Maharaj will be the top bowler in the match.
64 %
36 %
South AfricaPakistanThe Proteas will be under the leadership of Temba Bavuma who is also the 3rd highest scorer for the hosts in Test format this year. He carries an average of 61.71 in the last 4 fixtures collecting 432 runs at a strike rate of 54.75.
David Bedingham will be part of the top order and he is the leading run-scorer for the Proteas in 2024 with 496 runs in 9 fixtures at an average of 33.06. Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram are also part of the batting unit and the duo will be expected to build a solid partnership.
On the balling front, Keshav Maharaj will be the key bowler for the team. However, during the warm-ups of the 1st ODI, Keshav suffered a groin injury but he is expected to be fit for the Test series. Kwena Maphaka and Kagiso Rabada will be the two best pace options for the hosts.
David Bedingham, Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj are the key players for the team.
Predicted Lineup: Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk)
The visitors are coming to play the red-ball format after their heroic performance in the ODI series. This will give the squad a major boost in the confidence to play Test cricket. Shan Masood will be the leading man for the team and he will have Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam at the top order.
Babar Azamβs declining form is the biggest concern for Pakistanβs team management. White-ball skipper Mohammad Rizwan has done well this year by becoming the top-scorer for Pakistan with 509 runs in 6 Test fixtures at an average of 50.90.
On the bowling front, Pakistan will be without their key pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. However, the team will welcome Naseem Shah. He has just played 2 Test fixtures this year and has 5 wickets on his name at an economy of 4.17. In Shaheenβs absence, Khurram Shahzad and Mir Hamza will be the key pacers for the team.
Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, and Salman Ali Agha will be the key players for the team.
Predicted Lineup: Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
The first Test is going to be a thrilling encounter between the two teams. Pakistan is now well aware of the playing conditions and wonβt let the opposition dominate the game.
However, South Africa is leading the WTC point table and they have done exceptionally well in the red-ball cricket in recent times. We predict a win for South Africa in the 1st Test.
