Imran Farhat Appointed Pakistan’s Batting Coach for South Africa Test Series

Former Pakistan top-order batter Imran Farhat has been appointed as the batting coach for the upcoming two-match home Test series against South Africa. The first Test match will begin at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 12, 2025.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially announced the complete team management for the series. Alongside Imran Farhat, former spinner Abdul Rehman has been selected as the spin bowling coach, while Abdul Majeed will take charge as the fielding coach.

Former all-rounder Azhar Mehmood will lead the red-ball team as the head coach, marking another chapter in his coaching journey with Pakistan cricket.

This series holds special importance as it begins Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27. Facing the reigning champions, South Africa, will be a tough challenge, but Pakistan will look to make a strong start at home.

The first Test will be played in Lahore from October 12 to 16, followed by the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from October 20 to 24. These matches will test the skills and consistency of both teams under pressure conditions.

Interestingly, this will be South Africa’s first Test tour of Pakistan since January 2021, when Pakistan defeated them 2–0 in a memorable home series.

After the Test matches, both teams will move on to a three-match T20 International (T20I) series, starting on October 28 and running until November 1. The first T20I will take place in Rawalpindi, while the next two will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The tour will conclude with a three-match One Day International (ODI) series, scheduled from November 4 to 8 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. This final leg will allow both sides to test their younger players and strengthen their squads ahead of future international events.

Historically, Pakistan and South Africa have faced each other 30 times in Test cricket. Out of these encounters, Pakistan has won six matches, South Africa has secured 17 victories, and seven games have ended in draws. This shows South Africa’s dominance in the format, but Pakistan will aim to improve their record at home.

Complete Pakistan Team Management for South Africa Test Series:

• Azhar Mehmood – Head Coach
• Naveed Akram Cheema – Team Manager
• Imran Farhat – Batting Coach
• Abdul Rehman – Spin Bowling Coach
• Abdul Majeed – Fielding Coach
• Cliffe Deacon – Physiotherapist
• Talha Butt – Performance Analyst
• Grant Luden – Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Syed Naeem Gillani – Media Manager
• Irtaza Komail – Team Security Manager
• Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai – Team Doctor
• Mohammad Ehsan – Masseur

This strong and experienced management team reflects the PCB’s efforts to ensure the national side performs at its best as they embark on a crucial journey in the World Test Championship.

READ MORE: Mitchell Starc Rejoins Sydney Sixers, Teams Up with Babar Azam for BBL 15