PAK vs SA, First T20I Match Prediction: Who will win today's match between Pakistan and South Africa?

Focus shifts from Tests to T20 Internationals as Pakistan and South Africa prepare for the first of three T20Is. Both teams are looking to get off to a good start, with the hosts looking to build on their home advantage and recent good T20 form, while South Africa will be keen to put their recent inconsistent run of form behind them.

Pakistan vs South Africa First T20I Match Preview

Home advantage and Babar’s return Pakistan enter the series as favourites, having recently reached the Asia Cup final and with a strong record at home. The return of the star hitter Babar Azam The team will reinforce its top order, providing much-needed stability. Captain Salman Ali Agha will depend largely on their balanced squad, which features a good mix of experienced and explosive young talent such as Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub. The bowling attack, led by Shaheen Afridi and with spin options like Mohammad Nawaz and the off-spinner debutant Usman TariqIt will be key to exploiting home conditions.

Youth and firepower South Africa is battling injury setbacks, with Regular T20I captain David Miller and fast bowler Geraldine Coetzee both discarded. Alternate captain Donovan Ferreira He leads a young team with dynamic hitters like Dewald Brevisthat has been in an explosive form, and the experience of Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks. Your strategy will be to play an aggressive game with a high hit rate. The bowling attack, with pacemaker Lungi Ngidi and the variations of George Linde and Nandré burgerwill need to contain the formidable Pakistani batting line-up on what is expected to be a bat-friendly surface.

PAK vs SA, 1st T20I: Match details

Date and time: October 28 (Tuesday); 8:30 pm IST/ 3:00 pm GMT
Event: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

PAK vs SA, head-to-head record (T20I)

Games played: 24 | Pakistan won: 12 | South Africa: 12 | No results: 0

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Rawalpindi Stadium Cricket Ground Report

Rawalpindi’s pitching in recent T20Is has been very batting-friendly, with an average first innings score in 2025 of around 212, although historically it has been more balanced. It is expected to be a flat wicket that will help the batsmen. However, the new ball may offer some early movement and dew could become a factor in the second innings. The general trend here favors the team batting second, although a high first innings total can still be defended.