Players.bio is a large online platform sharing the best live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, Golf, Rugby, Cricket, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, plus the latest sports news, transfers & scores. Exclusive interviews, fresh photos and videos, breaking news. Stay tuned to know everything you wish about your favorite stars 24/7. Check our daily updates and make sure you don't miss anything about celebrities' lives.
PRETORIA :South African fast bowler Corbin Bosch took a wicket with his first ball in test cricket as Pakistan were left reeling on 88 for four at lunch on the opening day of the first test at Centurion on Thursday.
PRETORIA : South Africa won the toss and put Pakistan into bat on the opening day of the first test at Centurion on Thursday, hoping to make early inroads with an all-out pace attack.
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is set to make his Test comeback, with the team set to take on South Africa in the first Test of a two-match series, starting Boxing Day. Babar was dropped from the Test team for the last two Tests against England at home, following a string of poor scores. Babar has not scored a century in any format since August last year. During that phase, he played 43 innings across formats. However, Babar will be eyeing a big milestone when the Boxing Day Test gets underway in Centurion.
Pakistan have named the 34-year-old pacer Mohammad Abbas in the playing XI for the opening Test of the two-match series against South Africa, starting December 26 at SuperSport Park. Abbas, a stalwart of Pakistan's Test setup with 90 wickets in 25 matches, last donned the whites in August 2021 against the West Indies in Kingston. Pakistan's batting lineup for the Centurion Test has undergone significant reshuffling. Abdullah Shafique, who scored 132 runs in the home Test series against England last October, has been left out.
Former cricketer Basit Ali has questioned the inclusion of Babar Azam in Pakistan's squads for South Africa tour and star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi being dropped from the Test fold. Pakistan unveiled its squads for the multi-format tour of South Africa which will kick off on December 10 in Durban. A couple of surprises came along with the decision as Babar returned to the Test side after being dropped from the second and third Tests against England. While Shaheen, who was also dropped alongside the former Pakistan skipper, still remains sidelined from the red-ball cricket. Basit criticised the selection committee's decision to include Babar and dropping Shaheen from the Test side.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has suggested former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam to replicate Virat Kohli's approach in a bid to rejuvenate his lost form. Babar was rested for the last two Tests against England after his poor form. Pakistan won both matches and secured the series 2-1, the first under Shan Masood's rein. In 55 Tests, Babar has scored 3,997 runs at an average of 43.92. However, he had not scored a Test half-century in 18 innings stretching back to late 2022 and has seen a dip in form in a year where he was made captain and then left the post after Pakistan suffered a group-stage exit in this year's T20 World Cup in June.
Babar Azam could benefit from a break after being dropped from the Pakistan test squad, red-ball captain Shan Masood said as he backed the batter to rediscover his best form.
Pakistan Test skipper Shan Masood showered praise on Babar Azam and called him one of the best batsmen in the world. Babar is going through a lean patch in Tests. In his last nine Tests and 17 innings, he has scored just 352 innings at an average of 20.71, with his best score being 41. In 55 Tests, Babar has scored 3,997 runs at an average of 43,92, with nine centuries and 26 fifties and best score of 196. Pakistan announced 15-member squads for white-ball series tours to Australia and Zimbabwe starting from November 4 onwards, with star batter Babar Azam being rested from the Zimbabwe tour and set to play in Australia.