South Africa Tests Mark 'Monumental Moment' For Pakistan Cricket

South Africa will play their first Test in Pakistan for 14 years this week, a match being described as a "monumental moment" for the revival of international cricket in the country. The match in the p

England have also agreed to play two Twenty20s in October on their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, to be followed by New Zealand and the West Indies for white-ball series. If all go untroubled, then Australia will arrive for Tests and one-day matches next year, having not toured Pakistan since 1998.

"We have an exciting year ahead of us as our efforts are bearing fruit," said Khan, a former England county player and ex-chief executive of Leicestershire.

On the field a dominant South Africa -- having won 15 of the 26 Tests between the two teams with four losses and seven draws -- will take on a new-look Pakistan with Babar Azam making his Test captaincy debut.

It will be a dream come true for Azam, who was a ball boy during South Africa's last tour in 2007, but he faces a task to lift Pakistan after being swept 2-0 in Tests in New Zealand in the past month. Azam is back to full fitness after missing the New Zealand tour with a fractured thumb and leads an inexperienced 20-man squad with nine players yet to play a Test.

One of the uncapped spinners, Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan, is expected to win their first cap partnering seasoned leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

South Africa captain Quinton De Kock, whose team blanked Sri Lanka 2-0 at home in their recent series, said he expects spin to be a big factor. 

"Those selections say a lot about where they want to go and how they want to prepare these wickets," said De Kock, who has left-armer Keshav Maharaj as his frontline spinner.