Rawalpindi, Oct 27 Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha expressed optimism ahead of the three-match series against South Africa, describing his squad as “interesting and exciting”. He emphasised the team’s strong balance and energy, attributing his hopes for a successful T20I series to the mix of returning players and new talent.
“I think we have a very interesting and exciting side, with a few comebacks and a few new faces as well. I am very excited to lead this team and we really hope to have a great series,” Agha told Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) digital platform.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s recent T20I victory over Bangladesh, the right-handed batter credited the team’s success to their consistency and effective implementation of game plans.
“We had a great series against Bangladesh at home, and I am hopeful for good results in the upcoming series as well. We just want to execute our plans for a longer period. As I always say, we have a great team - a team that can beat any side. Obviously, South Africa are a very good side; they have a few misses, but still possess a lot of talent,” he added.
In Pakistan’s current T20I squad, former captain Babar Azam remains the leading run-scorer against South Africa, compiling 447 runs in 13 innings, while Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the bowling charts with 13 wickets in 12 matches.
The series will move to Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium for the second and third T20Is, scheduled for October 31 and November 1, respectively. The tour will then conclude with a three-match ODI series from November 4 to 8 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad - the venue’s first ODI since April 11, 2008, when Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets.
Historically, Pakistan and South Africa have faced each other 24 times in T20Is, with the head-to-head record perfectly balanced at 12 wins apiece.
Pakistan squad for South Africa T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.
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