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Official: South Africa to visit Pakistan in Jan 2021 for 2 Tests, 3 T20Is

By Web Desk

December 09, 2020

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the South African national cricket team will be visiting Pakistan in January 2021 after a gap of 14 years.

In an official press release, PCB stated that Cricket South Africa (CSA) has agreed to send their national team to Pakistan for the first time since 2007.

"South Africa will arrive in Karachi on 16 January and will play the first Test at the National Stadium in Karachi from 26-30 January," the Board said.

"They will then travel to Rawalpindi where the second Test will be held from 4-8 February. The iconic Gaddafi Stadium, headquarters of Pakistan cricket, will be the venue of the three T20Is, which are scheduled for 11, 13 and 14 February.

"Upon arrival in Karachi and in the lead up to the first Test, South Africa will observe an isolation period following which they will hold training sessions and play intra-squad practice matches.

"This will be South Africa’s first visit to Pakistan since the 2007 tour when they won the Karachi Test by 160 runs to clinch the series 1-0. The subsequent series in 2010 and 2013 were played in the United Arab Emirates."

"Since 1995, the two sides have played 11 Test series with South Africa winning seven and Pakistan one in 2003. In this background, Babar Azam’s side will be determined to end the 18-year series win drought and move up in the ICC World Test Championship ladder," the press release added.

PCB Director – International, Zakir Khan deemed South Africa's impending arrival "fabulous news for Pakistan cricket and its fans".

"South Africa is one of the most popular sides in Pakistan even though they last played here in 2007, but the fans have been following their performances closely and now look forward to welcoming them," he added.