LAHORE: Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first as they kicked off their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign with the opening match of the two-Test series against defending champions South Africa at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Playing XIs
Pakistan
Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (captain), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Nauman Ali, and Sajid Khan.
South Africa
Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Senuran Muthusamy Kyle Verreynne, Prenelan Subrayen, Kagiso Rabada, and Simon Harmer.
Pakistan’s fixtures for WTC 2025-27
The WTC is a biennial tournament for men’s Test cricket and the champions of the event are presented with the prestigious Test Mace. The championship format involves nine top-ranked teams competing over a two-year cycle.
Each team plays six series (three home, three away), with each series lasting between two and five Test matches. At the end of the league stage, the top two teams advance to a final to determine the champion.
Over the next two years, Pakistan will play 13 Test matches (including two against South Africa) in three home and as many away series.
Pakistan will face Bangladesh for a two-match away series in March 2026, followed by two Tests in the West Indies in July.
Pakistan will tour England for a three-Test series in August and September next, while the national team will host Sri Lanka for a two-Test series in November 2026.
Pakistan will conclude its league stage with a two-match home series against New Zealand in March 2027.
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