Toss Pakistan opt to bowl first vs South Africa
Pakistan won the toss and opted to field in the first ODI against South Africa in Faisalabad in Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first ODI as captain. The hosts won their sixth successive toss across formats during South Africa’s ongoing tour, which sees Faisalabad host its first men’s game in 17 years.
Fakhar Zaman returned to the team, which included both Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Pakistan went with three specialist bowlers in Afridi, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed, with Mohammad Nawaz, Hussain Talat and Salman Ali Agha providing the part-time options.
South Africa, meanwhile, included the returning Quinton de Kock even as it was otherwise a new-look side which featured debutants Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile and Donovan Ferreira. South Africa opted for two spinners in George Linde and Bjorn Fortuin, with Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi and Lizaad Williams as the seam options.
Batter Dewald Brevis was ruled out of the ODI series after sustaining a low-grade shoulder muscle strain during the third T20I of the tour in Lahore on Saturday.
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi (capt), Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke (capt), Sinethemba Qeshile, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams
