Pakistan will be looking to maintain their momentum when they take on South Africa in the first Test of a two-match series that begins in Centurion on Thursday.
The Boxing Day Test is significant for both teams. The Proteas will qualify for next year's World Test Championship final if they win one of the two matches. And while Pakistan are not in contention for the WTC final, the Test series will show whether Pakistan cricket has truly turned a corner.
After spending most of the year slipping down the rankings table in all formats, Pakistan have hit the winning formula in red and white ball cricket. They famously rallied to defeat England in the home Test series recently after changing tactics and playing on artificially dried up and slow surfaces. And after another round of change in leadership, Pakistan went on to register superb ODI series wins in Australia and South Africa.
And if they hold their own against the Proteas, Pakistan cricket could well look forward to a superb 2025.
South Africa, meanwhile, have gone all out and selected an all-pace attack for the first Test at SuperSport Park.
It means the surface will be extremely challenging for batsmen, with a distinct possibility of getting bowled out in a session, which brings both teams into play.
South Africa will field debutant Corbin Bosch alongside Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada and Dane Paterson.
"It's one thing making your debut, but then to make it where you've made a name for yourself in the provincial setup is another thing," captain Temba Bavuma said of Bosch ahead of the opening Test.
"I think Corbin adds an extra element to our bowling attack, he comes with the extra pace. Obviously, a big, strong guy as well, so one of the guys who can hit the deck hard.
"And he obviously offers a role with the bat as well. We saw in the ODI that he can hold his own with the bat. We're excited for him to see what he can do with the red ball and strengthen our bowling line-up," added the South Africa captain. "We back our seamers at Centurion."
Bosch, 30, is the son of the late Tertius Bosch who played in South Africa's first post-isolation Test, against the West Indies in Barbados in 1992.
Bavuma said his players were aware of the significance of being on the verge of reaching the WTC final.
"We know what's at stake. There's confidence and belief because of the good cricket we have played over the last while. Nothing has happened by accident."
South Africa's progress in the Test championship has come despite Cricket South Africa's emphasis on T20 franchise cricket at the expense of Tests.
South Africa's schedule of 12 Tests - all two-match series - is the joint lowest with Bangladesh in the championship cycle. England have played 22 matches, while Australia and India will have played 19 each when they complete their fixtures.
The system of average points has propelled South Africa to the top of the table despite not playing against Australia or England. Their only series against one of top Test nations was a tied one against India.
Pakistan have only won two out of 15 Tests in South Africa but will go into the series on the back of a convincing 3-0 ODI series win. Seven of the Pakistan squad and eight of the South African Test team players were involved in the one-day games.
The visitors, meanwhile, will be wondering whether to go with an all-pace attack or select a recognised spinner. If the pitch turns out to be tailor-made for seamers, Pakistan could be tempted to go for pure pacers and rely on the part-time but highly effective spin of players like Saim Ayub and Salman Agha. Both have proved highly effective with their finger spin and should be good enough to make up a few overs.
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Federer's 19 grand slam titles
Australian Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Marat Safin; 2006 bt Marcos Baghdatis; 2007 bt Fernando Gonzalez; 2010 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Rafael Nadal
French Open (1 title) - 2009 bt Robin Soderling
Wimbledon (8 titles) - 2003 bt Mark Philippoussis; 2004 bt Andy Roddick; 2005 bt Andy Roddick; 2006 bt Rafael Nadal; 2007 bt Rafael Nadal; 2009 bt Andy Roddick; 2012 bt Andy Murray; 2017 bt Marin Cilic
US Open (5 titles) - 2004 bt Lleyton Hewitt; 2005 bt Andre Agassi; 2006 bt Andy Roddick; 2007 bt Novak Djokovic; 2008 bt Andy Murray
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
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Price: From Dh1,700,000
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Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
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Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The five pillars of Islam
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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