Pakistan and South Africa Kick Off All-Format Tour with Low-Context T20Is

Pakistan and South Africa begin their three-match T20I series in Durban, setting the stage for an all-format tour. While the T20Is hold little significance in the context of major tournaments like the Champions Trophy or the World Test Championship (WTC), both teams aim to experiment with combinations as they prepare for upcoming challenges.

Key Highlights

• South Africa's Approach:

  • Heinrich Klaasen leads the T20I squad, with key players like Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram absent.
  • Struggles in T20 format persist, with no bilateral series wins in 2024, including losses to West Indies and India.
  • Focus remains on the longer formats, following a thrilling Test victory over Sri Lanka.

• Pakistan's Focus:

  • Returning stars Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi headline the squad, alongside youngsters Saim Ayub and Sufiyan Muqeem.
  • Head coach Aqib Javed emphasizes using the series for experimentation ahead of the Champions Trophy.
  • Mixed T20I results in recent years, with a decline since their dominant streak in the late 2010s.

• Historical Context:

  • Pakistan’s 11-series winning streak in T20Is (2016-2019) ended in South Africa in 2019.
  • Both teams aim to regain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.