Pakistan sent in to bat in 2nd Test in South Africa

CAPE TOWN (AFP) –

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq (right) plays a shot during the first Test against South Africa Johannesburg on February 2, 2013. South Africa have won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat on the first day of the second Test at Newlands.

South Africa won the toss and sent Pakistan in to bat on the first day of the second Test at Newlands on Thursday.

The Proteas fielded an unchanged team after winning the first Test in Johannesburg by 211 runs.

Pakistan awarded a first Test cap to Mohammad Irfan, their 2.1-metre tall left-arm fast bowler. Fellow left-armer Junaid Khan, one of Pakistan’s more impressive bowlers in the first Test was ruled out with a thigh injury.

Tanvir Ahmed replaced Rahat Ali in a second change of fast bowlers.

South African captain Graeme Smith‘s decision was influenced by early morning rain and partly cloudy skies, while the pitch appeared to have a tinge of green.

Smith was captaining his country for the 100th time after being feted for a century of captaincies in Johannesburg, with one of the matches having been for a World XI.

Teams:

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wkt), Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed (wkt), Tanvir Ahmed, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan

Umpires: Steve Davis, Bruce Oxenford (both AUS)

TV umpire: Billy Bowden (NZL)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)