Win Projections to be updated soon
Lahore, 11 October 2025:
Pakistan are set to host South Africa in a two-Test series beginning Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, marking the start of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for both sides. The second Test will be played in Rawalpindi from Oct. 20–24.
The series pits the reigning WTC champions, South Africa, against Pakistan, who finished last in the previous cycle. It also marks the first time since the WTC’s inception in 2019 that Pakistan will begin a new cycle on home soil.
The Tests will be followed by six white-ball matches — three T20Is and three ODIs — scheduled from Oct. 28 to Nov. 8 in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Faisalabad.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood said his side is determined to make a strong start.
“The main goal for any team is to win the championship, but for us, it’s about starting well — and we have the perfect opposition in the team that won the last WTC,” Masood said. “Playing them at home is a great opportunity. For us, it’s about finding that blueprint for success in our own conditions.”
South Africa captain Aiden Markram said his team is eager for the challenge.
“It’s great to be in Pakistan,” Markram said. “It’s going to be a challenging but fun series, a different test from what we’re used to back home. We’ll assess early, understand the conditions, and come up with good plans.”
Preparation and player form
Pakistan enter the series with limited red-ball match practice. The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the country’s premier first-class competition, saw only one rain-affected round this month, leaving many Test players short of game time.
Since Pakistan’s last Test in January, only Abdullah Shafique and Khurram Shahzad have played more than six first-class matches. Key players such as Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali have not played any red-ball cricket during that period.
Pakistan have won six of their 30 Tests against South Africa, with the visitors winning 17 and seven ending in draws. In their last meeting in Pakistan, in early 2021, the hosts claimed a 2-0 series victory.
Broadcast and Coverage Details
The PCB has confirmed broadcast and commentary teams for the series. Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock will join the commentary panel alongside Pakistan’s former captains Aamir Sohail, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis, and Bazid Khan.
Zainab Abbas will host PCB’s PitchSide Studio, offering expert pre- and post-match analysis throughout the series.
The HD broadcast will feature 28 cameras, including a buggy cam, while HawkEye and UltraEdge technologies will support the Decision Review System (DRS).
Fans in Pakistan can watch live on A Sports and Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha. International viewers can tune in via Willow TV (North America), SuperSport (sub-Saharan Africa), Dialog TV (Sri Lanka), TSports (Bangladesh), and Cricbuzz (Middle East and North Africa).
Free Entry and Ticketing Information
To encourage fan attendance, entry will be free for all five days of both Tests at Lahore and Rawalpindi in the General, First-Class, Premium, and VIP enclosures.
Tickets for the white-ball matches, starting from PKR 400, are available online at pcb.tcs.com.pk and at TCS Express Centres nationwide.
Online ticket sales for Tests began Oct. 7, while tickets for T20Is and ODIs will be available from Oct. 16.
Fans can purchase up to five tickets per ID card. Hospitality boxes and premium seating are also available.
PCB Launches New OTT Platform
In a major step toward digital transformation, the Pakistan Cricket Board has launched its own direct-to-consumer streaming service, PCB LIVE, with an initial rollout in the United Kingdom.
Fans can register at live.pcb.com.pk to stream live matches from the Pakistan–South Africa series, access on-demand replays, and view archival content from Pakistan cricket history.
A mobile app version of the platform will be released later this month.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi called the launch “a landmark moment for Pakistan cricket’s digital future.”
“This initiative reflects our commitment to innovation and fan engagement,” Naqvi said. “PCB LIVE brings Pakistan cricket directly into the hands of our supporters around the world — offering them not just live games, but access to exclusive interviews, documentaries, and iconic moments.”
Match Officials
Sri Lanka’s Ranjan Madugalle will serve as match referee for the Pakistan–South Africa series.
Australia’s Rodney Tucker and New Zealand’s Christopher Brown will be on-field umpires for the first Test, with Bangladesh’s Saikat Sharfuddoula as third umpire and Pakistan’s Faisal Khan Afridi as fourth.
For the second Test in Rawalpindi, Brown and Sharfuddoula will officiate on-field, Tucker will serve as third umpire, and Rashid Riaz will act as fourth umpire.
Series Schedule
1st Test: Oct. 12–16 – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
2nd Test: Oct. 20–24 – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
T20Is: Oct. 28 (Rawalpindi), Oct. 31 & Nov. 1 (Lahore)
ODIs: Nov. 4, 6 & 8 – Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
