Klaasen takes charge as South Africa faces Rizwan's Pakistan in T20 showdown

South Africa and Pakistan are set to clash in a three-match T20 series starting on December 10, 2024, in South Africa. The matches are scheduled to take place at various locations, including Durban, Centurion, and Johannesburg, with a kickoff time of 16:00 GMT. Both teams are coming off disappointing performances in their recent T20 campaigns, seeking to improve their standings in the format. South Africa, the World Cup runners-up in 2024, struggled in their last series, losing 3-1 to India at home and only managing a 1-1 draw against Ireland. Pakistan, who finished as runners-up in the 2022 T20 World Cup, have also seen a decline in performance, losing three of their six bilateral series since the tournament. With these competitive backgrounds, the upcoming series provides an opportunity for both nations to rebound. South Africa will be captained by Heinrich Klaasen while key players like Aiden Markram are rested. On the other hand, Pakistan will have Mohammed Rizwan returning as captain after missing the recent white-ball tour of Zimbabwe. The Pakistan side also reintroduces some of its star players such as Rizwan and Babar Azam after resting them previously, while they decided to manage Shaheen Afridi's workload by leaving him out of the Test leg of the tour. The last time these two teams faced off in T20 internationals, they had an almost even record, with 12 wins for Pakistan and 10 for South Africa from a total of 22 matches. This series presents a vital stage not only to reclaim pride but also to sharpen their squads as they head towards upcoming international engagements, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 for Pakistan. The opening match will be particularly important for both sides as they aim to set the tone for the series.