South Africa won the first Test of the two-match series, at Centurion, by two wickets. Chasing 148, the hosts slipped from 96-4 to 99-8 against Mohammad Abbas (6-54) before Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada saw them home.

The win also made South Africa the first team to qualify for the final of the 2023-25 World Test Championship, where they will face one of Australia, India, and Sri Lanka. Pakistan are already out of the race.

South Africa named their playing XI a day ahead of the second Test. Having become the youngest to play both T20Is and ODIs for South Africa Men, Kwena Maphaka also became their youngest Test cricketer.

Half an hour before the toss, Pakistan announced their playing XI as well. They left out Naseem Shah, who has been struggling with a stiff back, and brought in Mir Hamza. From 20 Tests, Naseem has 60 wickets at 35.13, but his three Tests in 2024 fetched him only nine wickets at 42.55. However, he did well at Centurion, taking 3-92 and 1-34: none of his wickets was of a tail-ender.

Left-arm seamer Hamza has 12 wickets at 42.08 from six Tests. He last played a Test against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi in September 2024.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat in the Test.

Playing XIs for Newlands Test of 2024-25

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Kyle Verreynne (wk), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka

Pakistan: Shan Masood (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza

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