South Africa cricket team to tour Pakistan for first time in 14 years

Gulf Today Report

The South African men's cricket team will travel to Pakistan in January-February next year for two Tests and three T20Is, Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed on Wednesday.

The last time the two teams met in Pakistan was in 2007 when South Africa beat the hosts 1-0 in a two-match Test series.

South Africa will become the fourth country to tour Pakistan in the last 15 months after Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

The Proteas are scheduled to reach Karachi on Jan.16, serving out a period of quarantine before taking part in the first Test ,which starts from Jan.26 at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Wednesday the first Test will be played in Karachi from Jan.26-30 with the second in Rawalpindi from Feb.4-8. The three-match T20 series will follow in Lahore on Feb.11, 13 and 14.

Pakistan did host South Africa in 2010 and 2013 in the United Arab Emirates as foreign countries had security reservations over visiting the Asian nation.

"The home series against South Africa will complete the process for full resumption and restoration of international cricket in Pakistan, which started in 2015,” PCB director of international cricket Zakir Khan said in a statement.

Several South African cricketers have toured Pakistan over the last three years. Captain Faf du Plessis led a World XI team there in 2017 and returned the following year to play in the Pakistan Super League playoff.

The PCB has lined up several foreign visitors in 2021 including New Zealand, England and West Indies.

"If these high-profile and exciting series are topped up with the Asia Cup 2021 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan cricket fans can brace themselves for an exciting and action-packed year,” Khan said.

A Cricket South Africa security delegation toured Pakistan a few weeks ago to get first-hand knowledge of the security situation there.

"The report on their findings and recommendations gives us confidence as an organisation that all of our team’s security, playing and accommodation needs will be met and that the wellbeing of the team will be the top priority,” CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said. "We look forward to embarking on this historical tour.”

"As someone who has toured the country on more than one occasion back in my playing days, I know how much passion the people of Pakistan have for the game as well as the love and support that the Proteas enjoy there as a team.”