Day 1 – Session 1: South Africa chose to bat.
Current RR: 3.42
• Min. Ov. Rem: 87.4
South Africa have already booked their place in the World Test Championship final, but will be looking to keep their impressive record against Pakistan intact
Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj are back after recovering from their injuries • AFP/Getty Images
Toss South Africa chose to bat vs Pakistan
Temba Bavuma won a second successive toss and chose to bat first against Pakistan on a warm but slightly cloudy morning in Cape Town.
All eyes will be on the Newlands pitch after it received an unsatisfactory rating when last year’s Test finished in 107 overs as a result of extreme seam movement and variable bounce. The surface appears similar to pitches at Newlands – mottled green with less grass than SuperSport Park – and despite last year, is usually good for batting on the first two days.
South Africa announced their XI on the eve of the match and it included three changes from the side that won at SuperSport Park. Fit-again Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder are back in and 18-year old left-arm tearaway Kwena Maphaka will make his Test debut. He becomes the youngest player to feature in a Test for South Africa.
There was no room for Corbin Bosch, who debuted at SuperSport Park, or Dane Paterson at his home ground, while Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out with a left thigh strain. Ryan Rickelton will open with Aiden Markram and Mulder has moved to No. 3, ahead of Tristan Stubbs.
Pakistan’s XI was confirmed earlier on Friday morning and they have opted against a specialist spinner with Salman Agha, and to a lesser extent Saim Ayub, expected to carry that load. Agha did not bowl at all at SuperSport Park but said in the lead-up to this match that he hoped he would have more opportunities here. Their only change was forced by injury. Naseem Shah is out with a stiff back and Mir Hamza has been included.
The first and second day at Newlands are sellouts, with big crowds expected in support of South Africa after their qualification for the World Test Championship final.
South Africa: Ryan Rickleton, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Wiaan Mulder, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Temba Bavuma (capt) 6 David Bedingham, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Keshav Maharaj 10 Kagiso Rabada 11 Kwena Maphaka
Pakistan: 1 Shan Masood (capt), 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Kamran Ghulam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Khurram Shahzad, 10 Mohammad Abbas, 11 Mir Hamza
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
