South Africa captain Aiden Markram said on Saturday that Babar Azam’s wicket will be the key for his side as they prepare to face Pakistan in the upcoming Test series starting Sunday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Lahore on Saturday, Markram praised the Pakistani captain, calling him a world-class player. “Babar Azam needs no introduction. His wicket is always the most important,” he said.
The Proteas skipper added that the pitches in Pakistan would favour spin bowling, and his team had prepared accordingly. “The pitches here will suit the spinners, and we have focused on playing spin,” he stated.
Markham noted that South Africa had a strong run in the previous World Test Championship and his squad was eager to continue their momentum: “The last Test Championship season went well for us, and we are very excited for the new one.”
Markram also mentioned the absence of Temba Bavuma. “Temba Bavuma is our leader, and we will definitely miss him,” he said.
On the other hand, Pakistan captain Shan Masood said his side aims to start the World Test Championship campaign on a positive note.
“We will try to start the Test Championship well,” Shan said during his press conference. “The PCB has done a lot of work for red-ball cricket this time. Camps were held, and players also played county cricket.”
Acknowledging South Africa’s strength, Shan said, “South Africa are a champion team. We will give our best to lift our morale. To win a Test match, you have to take 20 wickets.”
He stressed the importance of home conditions and adaptability. “Home series are always very important in the Test cycle. The last Test Championship didn’t bring great results, but we learned positive things. We’ll try to start this one well,” he said.
Talking about the conditions in Lahore, Shan added, “There will be new conditions at Gaddafi Stadium, and we’ll try to understand them quickly. Sajid Khan is a key bowler for us in these conditions, but unfortunately, he was down with viral flu. We’ll select the team based on fitness.”
He also shared his thoughts on playing surfaces and strategy. “On flat tracks, if both teams score 600 runs, there’s no benefit. For good results, sometimes you have to sacrifice personal milestones. Runs depend on conditions; scoring a century in every match isn’t necessary.”
The Test captain added that Pakistan would look to make the most of home conditions. “Every team prepares conditions that suit them. We included the factor of reverse swing while forming the team,” he stressed.
The first Test takes place from October 12 to 16 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, and the second Test runs from October 20 to 24 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The tour will include three T20Is from October 28 to November 1 and three ODIs from November 4 to 8.