Pakistan Set to Face South Africa in Two-Match Test Series Starting Sunday
Pakistan and South Africa continued their preparations for the upcoming two-match Test series with high-intensity training sessions at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. Both sides spent nearly three hours in practice, sharpening their batting, bowling, and fielding skills.
Pakistan trained from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, with pace spearheads Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali leading a lively bowling session. Shaheen also spent extra time in the nets batting, where he impressed the coaches with some clean, powerful hits.
Batting coach Imran Farhat worked closely with captain Shan Masood, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, and others, providing technical guidance to enhance their shot selection and consistency.
T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha joined the red-ball training camp for the first time and took part enthusiastically in all drills. Spin coach Abdul Rehman supervised spinners Asif Afridi and Noman Ali, giving detailed feedback to fine-tune their variations.
Wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir had a specialized catching session with club cricketers to polish his glove work, while head coach Azhar Mahmood and the rest of the staff focused heavily on fielding and fitness routines. The fielding coach emphasized accuracy in throws and quick reflexes during catching drills.
Meanwhile, South Africa also held an equally intense three-hour practice session. Captain Aiden Markram, David Bedingham, and Dewald Brevis looked in good touch during the batting nets, while pacers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen honed their rhythm, focusing on line and length. The Proteas spinners devoted extra time to adapting their bowling to the spin-friendly conditions expected in Lahore.
The opening Test between Pakistan and South Africa is set to begin on October 12 at Gaddafi Stadium. Both teams will continue their final training sessions on Saturday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, followed by pre-match press conferences by both captains.
