South Africa has announced its 16-man squad for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, set to begin on December 26 in Centurion, with a clear focus on securing a place in next year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final. The squad sees the inclusion of Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder, both of whom are recovering from injuries, while also offering opportunities to uncapped players like Corbin Bosch and Kwena Maphaka.
Maharaj, who was forced to miss the first ODI against Pakistan due to an acute groin strain sustained during warm-ups, will undergo a scan to assess the injury’s severity. His inclusion in the Test squad comes despite this setback, with Cricket South Africa (CSA) closely monitoring his recovery.
Meanwhile, Mulder is returning to full fitness after a fractured right middle finger ruled him out of the second Test against Sri Lanka. The all-rounder has completed the final phase of his recovery and will provide additional depth to the South African squad. If Mulder is selected for the first Test, batter Matthew Breetzke will be released from the squad.
In a significant move, 30-year-old seamer Corbin Bosch has earned his first call-up to the Test team. Bosch has impressed with his all-round performances in domestic cricket, taking 72 wickets at an average of 36.75 across 34 first-class matches, while also contributing with the bat. His selection follows strong performances for the SA Invitational XI against England Lions, where he claimed 1-21.
Alongside Bosch, uncapped seamer Kwena Maphaka retains his place in the squad after being part of the group for the second Test against Sri Lanka.
South Africa Test squad
Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wk).
CSA head coach Shukri Conrad expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to challenge Pakistan, with the pace attack seen as one of the team’s strongest assets. “We are excited to see Corbin make his step up to Test cricket. His all-round ability adds depth to our attack, and his pace brings an extra bite. We’re also closely monitoring Keshav’s injury and hope it won’t be too serious,” said Conrad.
South Africa enters the series with a clear objective — a win over Pakistan would bring them a step closer to securing a place in the World Test Championship Final. With one more victory needed to guarantee a spot, the Proteas are eager to extend their lead at the top of the WTC standings.
“We’re focused on the task at hand — a spot in the World Test Championship Final is the ultimate goal. This series against Pakistan will be a tough challenge, especially with their talented fast bowlers, but we believe our squad is well-equipped for the task,” Conrad added.
The first Test against Pakistan will be played at SuperSport Park in Centurion, with the second Test taking place at Cape Town in the New Year. South Africa’s batters, who stood up during the series against Sri Lanka, will be keen to showcase their skills against a quality Pakistan bowling attack in the upcoming series.
