Test cricket is back in Pakistan this week when South Africa tread where the locals hope many big nations will follow in the coming months and years. This is a two match Test series, the first of which begins in Karachi on Tuesday.
This series acts as one which goes towards the World Test Championship so the wins will be keenly sought after for both sides. As far as this series goes both teams go into the match knowing that if they come out on top they will be secured a share of the spoils.
Pakistan
This isn’t the first time Test cricket has been played in Pakistan since the exile but I think it is fair to say that it is the biggest game since the return of the longest format of the game, with no disrespect meant to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who have previously been here. Often Pakistan can have a long time between drinks where their Test cricket is concerned but having toured New Zealand towards the end of 2020 that hasn’t really been the case this time around.
To be fair to Pakistan, considering they are a side who are naturally having to transition in this format of the game now that they are going to be playing at home more, they put up a couple of creditable efforts against arguably the best side in the world in their own conditions in New Zealand. What they have to do if they are going to become a force in the game once again is get used to bowling sides out on flat pitches. A few more runs would never go amiss either.
South Africa
It isn’t just Pakistan who have been in Test match action recently, South Africa have been too. They had a very comfortable time of it against a poor Sri Lanka side and while that got them up and running in terms of getting back into Test cricket after so long without it because of Covid-19, it is fair to say they are going to face a tougher test here and will need to be even better than they have been previously as a result.
You get the impression the key for South Africa comes with their bowlers. They aren’t blessed with masses of great spinners so they are likely to utilise a number of seamers but they will need them to be on top form early in the match because as the game goes on conditions are likely to go against them. That also puts the onus on their batsmen to deliver the goods in the first dig because condition will be alien to them later on. To be fair though, at their best South Africa were a decent side away from home.
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Team News
This is going to be a much changed Pakistan side to the one which competed in New Zealand. The important thing is their captain Babar Azam returns to the middle order. He skippers the side for the first time and leads a team which will be giving Imran Butt his Test debut. There is also a likely return for Hasan Ali.
South Africa also have a key player returning for this series. Kagiso Rabada missed the successes over Sri Lanka but he will be in the side for this match. The only decision for Quinton de Kock to make is whether to play the second spinner in Tabraiz Shamsi or the added seamer which looks a fight between Lutho Sipamla and Lungi Ngidi.
Betting
This isn’t the easiest match and series to bet on given how little Test cricket we have to go on in this part of the world but from back when Test cricket was regular we know the pitch offers something for the seamers early on and then flattens out with reverse swing the aid of the quicker bowlers the longer the game goes on. That makes me head for a performance bet to get the series up and running with, potentially with the aim of watching how things go and getting more stuck into the second game of the series.
That performance belongs to Shaheen Shah Afridi who has a pretty low line at just 78.5 points for this match. He has a decent enough record in the two Test matches he has played against South Africa. They were both in South Africa but he took four wickets and five in those games so he covered this line with the ball on both occasions. Afridi can wield the willow down the order as well so might pick up a few bonus points with the bat but with his skill set with the new and the old ball I think he’ll be able to pick up the four wickets required to get the job done.
Tips
Back S-S.Afridi’s Performance – Over 78.5pts for a 3/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
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