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Pakistan pick Asif Afridi ahead of Abrar Ahmed for second Test
Left-arm spinner has 198 wickets from 57 first-class matches
Has served a six-month ban for spot fixing in the past
Left-arm spinner Asif Afridi made his debut for Pakistan in the second Test against South Africa, which began on Monday (October 20, 2025) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The 38-year-old, who was picked ahead of the seasoned Abrar Ahmed to partner Pakistan’s regular spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, was handed his Test cap by senior pro Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Asif has served a six-month ban for spot fixing in the past. He was handed a one-year ban for his involvement in spot fixing in domestic cricket and served six months before being allowed back by the Pakistan Cricket Board, which did not name any reason for relaxing the ban on him.
The spinner has 198 wickets from 57 first-class matches at an average of 25.49.
Afridi’s selection meant that the Pakistan team management decided to play two left- arm spinners in the second Test as he will pair with Noman Ali, who is already established and also picked up a 10-wicket haul in the hosts’ 93-run win in the first game in Lahore.
Pakistan, who won the toss and elected to bat first, are only playing one fast bowler in Shaheen Afridi.
South Africa have also been buoyed by the return of left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who missed the first Test due to fitness issues.
The visitors, after losing the first Test, have also opted to play tall left-arm pacer, Marco Jansen, while leaving out Wiaan Mulder and Prenelan Subrayen.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Asif Afridi
(With PTI inputs)
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