Commentary Panel Announced for Pakistan vs. South Africa Test Series

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed its commentary lineup on Thursday for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, with the first Test set to commence on October 12 at Gaddafi Stadium.

Star-Studded Commentary Team

The commentary panel will include Shaun Pollock, former captain of the South African national cricket team, who previously toured Pakistan in 1997 and 2003, participating in five Test matches.

Joining him will be former Pakistani Test captains Aamir Sohail, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis, and former Test cricketer Bazid Khan, providing diverse insights and perspectives throughout the series.

ICC World Test Championship Coverage

The Test series, a component of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27, will also feature the PCB’s PitchSide Studio, hosted by Zainab Abbas, delivering expert analysis in the pre- and post-match programs.

Commentators for T20I and ODI Series

For the subsequent three-match T20I series in Rawalpindi and Lahore, followed by a three-match ODI series at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja will collaborate with Urooj Mumtaz, the former captain of the Pakistan women’s team.

From South Africa, JP Duminy and Vernon Philander are scheduled to offer expert commentary for the limited-overs series, which is slated from October 28 to November 8. Zainab Abbas will continue her role as the presenter for the white-ball series.

Series Schedule and Venue Details

The initial Test match will be hosted at Gaddafi Stadium from October 12 to 16, while the second Test will occur at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from October 20 to 24. This series marks South Africa’s first Test appearance in Pakistan since January 2021, when they faced a 2-0 defeat against the home side.

Following the Test matches, Pakistan and South Africa will compete in a three-match T20I series from October 28 to November 1, starting with the first game in Rawalpindi and the following two at Gaddafi Stadium. The tour will conclude with a three-match ODI series from November 4 to 8 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

Historical Context

Historically, Pakistan and South Africa have competed in 30 Test matches, with Pakistan securing six wins, South Africa 17, and seven matches ending in a draw.

Test Squads
Pakistan:

Shan Masood (C), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (WK), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

South Africa:

Aiden Markram (c), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (second Test only), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Kyle Verreynne.