Pakistan and South Africa set to resume Test rivalry.

PESHAWAR -- Pakistan men's national cricket team will be hoping to make the best out of the two Test-match series against South Africa, which commences from January 26 at the National Stadium in Karachi.

This will be Pakistan's first home Test against South Africa in more than 13 years. South Africa who last visited Pakistan in 2007 and won the two Test-match series 1-0, will aim to continue their winning streak over the host country.

Both sides met for the first time in 1995 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, which the home team won on the fifth day by 324 runs. In the 26 contests so far, South Africa have won 15, while Pakistan have been victorious on four occasions. The last Test between the both sides was in January 2019 in Johannesburg which the home team won by 107 runs, a press release issued by PCB said.

Pakistan have hosted seven Test matches at their home soil (Pakistan) in which the hosts have won one, lost two and four have remained drawn. In the only Test match hosted at National Stadium in Karachi in October 2007, South Africa defeated Pakistan by 160 runs, becoming only the second team in history to beat Pakistan at the venue.

In the current Pakistan Test squad, Azhar Ali has faced the opponents in 10 Test matches scoring 481 runs at an average of 25.31. Captain Babar Azam has scored 221 runs at an average of 36.83 from three Test matches with two half-centuries.

Among the bowlers, left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has featured in two Test matches against South Africa, taking nine wickets. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf in his one outing against the tourists took six wickets.

Among the South African touring party, captain Quinton de Kock has scored 251 runs in three Tests against Pakistan at 62.75. Former captain Faf du Plessis follows with a tally of 246 runs in seven Tests at 27.33. Among the bowlers, Kagiso...