Asif Afridi, the 38-year-old spinner, who has served a ban for infringing the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) anti-corruption code, has been handed a debut Test cap by the team for their second match against South Africa in Rawalpindi. Afridi will be paired up with Noman Ali as Pakistan decided to go with two left-arm spinners in the match which is the last of the two-Test series.
Afridi had been banned for a two years for his involvement in spot-fixing in Pakistan’s domestic cricket. However, he was allowed to return after serving just over a year of the ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board, who had not given any reason for relaxing the suspension. This is Afridi’s first ever international appearance. He made his first class debut in January 2009 and has taken 198 wickets in 57 matches. Afridi has also taken 83 wickets in 60 List A matches and 78 wickets in 85 T20s.
They will be playing just one fast bowler in Shaheen Afridi. Pakistan had earlier won the first Test by 94 runs in Lahore. Noman Ali had picked a 10-wicket haul in that game, registering figures of 6/112 and 4/79. Shaheen bowled just five overs in the first innings and 8.5 in the second.
Maharaj return boost for South Africa
South Africa have also been boosted by the return of left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, who missed the first Test due to fitness issues. The visitors, after losing the first Test, have also opted to play tall left-arm pacer, Marco Jansen, while leaving out Wiaan Mulder and Prenelan Subrayen.
The first day was a battle of attrition between the two sides with Pakistan’s score standing at 177/3 in 62 overs at Tea. Captain Shan Masood was unbeaten on 77 off 144 balls at the end of the second session while opener Abdullah Shafique scored 57 in 146 balls before falling to Simon Harmer in the 51st over. Talismanic former captain Babar Azam’s poor run of form continued, albeit only due to a sensational catch by Toni de Zorzi off the bowling of Keshav Maharaj. he fell after scoring 16 runs in 22 balls. Babar has not scored a Test century since December 2022.
