South Africa have revealed their playing XI for the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, set to begin on December 26 at Centurion. Temba Bavuma will lead the side as they aim to secure a spot in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final.

South Africa’s playing XI

The Proteas’ line-up includes Timba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickleton, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verraigne, Marco Janssen, Kagiso Rabada, Dean Pietersen, and Karbin Bosch.

This marks the first Test series between Pakistan and South Africa on South African soil in six years, with few players from either side remaining from their last encounter.

🚨 South Africa have announced their playing XI for the Boxing Day #SAvPAK Test

Corbin Bosch is all set to make his red-ball international debut pic.twitter.com/hSWo1op8Nb
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 24, 2024

South Africa’s impressive Test form

South Africa have been in outstanding form during this WTC cycle, winning five of their last six Tests and drawing one. Notably, they held India to a 1-1 series draw at home. Despite setbacks like losing 2-0 in New Zealand with a weakened squad during the SA20 tournament, the Proteas remain in strong contention for the WTC final. A single victory in the two-Test series against Pakistan will secure their place in the final.

Pakistan’s challenges and adjustments

Pakistan enter the series with a more challenging path to the WTC final. Their qualification hinges on multiple factors, including South Africa being penalised for slow over rates and Pakistan winning all four of their remaining Tests, including this series against South Africa and an upcoming series against the West Indies.

Pakistan’s squad sees notable changes from the team that recently defeated England 2-1 at home. Babar Azam and Naseem Shah return after missing the latter part of the England series, while Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out due to a decline in his red-ball performance. Veteran spinner Nauman Ali has been preferred over Sajid Khan, with Pakistan opting for a single spinner in South African conditions.

Excitingly, Mohammad Abbas makes his return to the Test side after three years. Khurram Shahzad also returns following a rib injury, while spinners Abrar Ahmed and Zahid Mahmood, along with reserve players Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Ali, Mohammed Huraira, and Mehran Mumtaz, have been dropped.

High stakes for both teams

For South Africa, winning the Test series and securing a place in the WTC final would mark another milestone in their recent resurgence. Their strong performances in white-ball formats, including reaching the ODI World Cup semi-finals and narrowly missing a T20I final, underline their dominance on the global stage.

Pakistan, while unlikely to focus solely on WTC qualification, will aim to end their Test season on a high note. With experienced players returning and a new-look squad, they will seek to challenge the in-form Proteas in their backyard.

The Boxing Day Test promises to be a thrilling encounter, with both teams striving to achieve their respective goals in this pivotal series.