PAK vs SA: Pakistan announce playing XI for first T20I

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its Playing XI for the first T20I of the three-match series against South Africa, set to take place today at Kingsmead.

In a surprising move, white-ball vice-captain Salman Ali Agha has been dropped from the Playing XI for the series opener. 

Pakistan's top order will feature Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, and captain Mohammad Rizwan, followed by Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, and Muhammad Irfan Khan in the middle order. 

The team has chosen two specialist spinners, Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed, to provide control in the middle overs, while pacers Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf will lead the bowling attack.

The series opener will be followed by the second T20I in Centurion on December 13, with the final match scheduled in Johannesburg on December 14. After the T20I series, Pakistan will face South Africa in a three-match ODI series starting December 17, followed by a two-match Test series.

Pakistan Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (c) (wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed.