South Africa will play their first Test in Pakistan for 14 years today, a match being described as a “monumental moment” for the revival of international cricket in the country.
The match in the port city of Karachi today marks a significant vote of confidence for Pakistan where international cricket was suspended following a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team's bus in Lahore in 2009.
Foreign teams refused to tour the terror-hit country on security fears and it was only in the last six years that Pakistan hosted limited-over series before Test cricket was revived for the first time in a decade with the visit of Sri Lanka in December 2019.
A tight security cordon has been thrown around the venue.
England have also agreed to play two Twenty20s in October on their first trip to Pakistan since 2005, to be followed by New Zealand and the West Indies for white-ball series.
If all go untroubled, then Australia will arrive for Tests and one-day matches next year, having not toured Pakistan since 1998.
On the field a dominant South Africa — having won 15 of the 26 Tests between the two teams with four losses and seven draws — will take on a new-look Pakistan with Babar Azam making his Test captaincy debut.
