Rawalpindi, October 27, 2025: Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has expressed optimism and enthusiasm ahead of the upcoming three-match T20I series against South Africa, calling the squad “interesting and exciting.”
The first T20I is set to be played on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, followed by matches in Lahore and Faisalabad.
Speaking to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Digital platform, Agha praised the team’s mix of youth and experience, saying the blend of returning stars and fresh talent made Pakistan a formidable side.
“I think we have a very interesting and exciting side, with a few comebacks and a few new faces as well. I am very excited to lead this team and we really hope to have a great series,” Agha said.
Reflecting on Pakistan’s recent T20I success against Bangladesh, the right-handed batter credited the team’s consistency and execution of strategies for their positive run.
“We had a great series against Bangladesh at home, and I am hopeful for good results in the upcoming series as well. We just want to execute our plans for a longer period. As I always say, we have a great team — a team that can beat any side. Obviously, South Africa are a very good side; they have a few misses, but still possess a lot of talent,” he added.
In head-to-head encounters, Pakistan and South Africa have met 24 times in T20 Internationals, with both teams winning 12 matches each, making the series a potentially thrilling contest.
Among current players, Babar Azam leads Pakistan’s scoring charts against South Africa with 447 runs in 13 innings, while Shaheen Shah Afridi tops the bowling tally with 13 wickets in 12 matches.
The second and third T20Is will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on October 31 and November 1, respectively. The tour will conclude with a three-match ODI series from November 4 to 8 at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad — marking the city’s first ODI in more than 17 years since Pakistan’s seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in April 2008.
Pakistan squad for South Africa T20Is:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), and Usman Tariq.
