Pakistan made one change to their line-up for the second Test against South Africa, bringing in the 38-year-old Asif Afridi, the left-arm spinner, hoping that he can recreate the angle by which Noman Ali was able to trouble the Proteas batters in the opening game in Lahore.
Pakistan continued the tradition of featuring spinners on the wrong side of the 30s to utilise their home conditions to the fullest as the hosts handed a debut to the left-arm spinner Asif Afridi. Afridi, who has played 57 first-class games and 60 List-A matches in domestic cricket, made his debut at 38 years and 299 days, becoming the third-oldest player to be handed his cap for Pakistan in the longest format as Shan Masood and Co made one change to their XI for the second game against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Miran Bakhsh, the former off-spinner who played just a couple of Test matches, is the oldest Pakistan cricketer to make his Test debut at 47 years and 284 days. Afridi is second on the list of players making their Test debut. However, Amir Elahi, one of the three players to play for both India and Pakistan, played for the latter for the first time at the age of 44 years and 45 days, five years after he last played for India.
Oldest Test debutants for Pakistan
47 years, 284 days – Miran Bakhsh (vs India) – Lahore, 1955
44 years, 45 days – Amir Elahi (vs India) – Delhi, 1952
38 years, 299 days – Asif Afridi (vs South Africa) – Rawalpindi, 2025
Overall, James Southerton is the oldest player to make his Test debut when he played for England against Australia in the first-ever international cricket match, back in 1877.
Pakistan prepared yet another dry and abrasive surface after registering a scintillating 93-run win against South Africa in Lahore last week and decided to bench one of their seamers, Hasan Ali, for the series decider.ย South Africa played a similar combination in the first game, featuring three spinners and just one frontline pacer. However, the Proteas made a couple of changes in the second Test, bringing in Marco Jansen, a bowling all-rounder for batting all-rounder Wiaan Mulder and Keshav Maharaj in place of Prenelanย Subrayen.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first yet again as the hosts will be keen for a series sweep at home against the reigning Test champions.
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