ISLAMABAD: Faf du Plessis was not expecting to play test cricket in Pakistan so soon despite two visits for limited-overs formats over the last four years.
“That is one thing I did not see happening in my time,” the veteran South Africa batsman told the Pakistan Cricket Board’s digital channel on Thursday.
“I knew white-ball cricket was happening here, but I did not know that the red-ball cricket was going to happen this soon,” he said. “I am looking forward to it and I hope that it is the same as it was 13 years ago – the wickets are flat so we the batters can score some runs.”
The 36-year-old du Plessis is expected to form the nucleus of the Proteas batting in the upcoming two-test series which will be first for South Africa in Pakistan in over 13 years.
The first test starts Jan. 26 at Karachi and the second starts at Rawalpindi on Feb. 4.
Du Plessis first toured Pakistan when he led an International Cricket Council-backed World XI for a Twenty20 series in 2017. He returned last November to feature in Pakistan Super League playoff for Peshawar Zalmi at Karachi’s National Stadium — venue for the first test.
“That (2017) was the first step to bring any sort of cricket back (to Pakistan),” Du Plessis said. “What they did really well at that stage was to bring players from all around the world to come and play and to see that the security levels were going to be very, very good and it gave players peace of mind.”
Pakistan had long been trying to convince foreign teams to return for international competition in Pakistan, where incoming cricket tours were halted after a terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team’s bus at Lahore in 2009.
Du Plessis made his test debut in 2012 and has played away matches in Australia, India, England, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and New Zealand. Five of his seven tests against Pakistan have been in South Africa, the other two at Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 2013.
Pakistan played a majority of its home matches in the United Arab Emirates for a decade before Sri Lanka returned for two test matches in 2019.
The West Indies and Bangladesh have sent teams to play international cricket in Pakistan over the last six years. Now it’s South Africa’s turn.
“It’s important for Pakistan to play in home conditions,” du Plessis said. “They have been playing in the UAE for the last 11 years so (some) fans have never seen them play — that’s almost like a generation and that’s missed seeing them play.”
Du Plessis will not stay after the test matches to play in a three-match Twenty20 series because South Africa will be preparing to host Australia in a test series.
Du Plessis preparing for unexpected test series in Pakistan
https://arab.news/yumec
Du Plessis preparing for unexpected test series in Pakistan
- Two-test series will be first for South Africa in Pakistan in over 13 years
- Pakistan had long been trying to convince foreign teams to return for international competition in the country
Pakistan says repaid over $13.06 billion domestic debt early in last 14 months
- Finance adviser says repayment shows “decisive shift” toward fiscal discipline, responsible economic management
- Says Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over $286.6 billion in June 2025 to $284.7 billion in November 2025
KARACHI: Pakistan has repaid Rs3,650 billion [$13.06 billion] in domestic debt before time during the last 14 months, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Thursday, adding that the achievement reflected a shift in the country’s approach toward fiscal discipline.
Schehzad said Pakistan has been repaying its debt before maturity, owed to the market as well as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), since December 2024. He said the government had repaid the central bank Rs300 billion [$1.08 billion] in its latest repayment on Thursday.
“This landmark achievement reflects a decisive shift toward fiscal discipline, credibility, and responsible economic management,” Schehzad wrote on social media platform X.
Giving a breakdown of what he said was Pakistan’s “early debt retirement journey,” the finance official said Pakistan retired Rs1,000 billion [$3.576 billion] in December 2024, Rs500 billion [$1.78 billion] in June 2025, Rs1,160 billion [$4.150 billion] in August 2025, Rs200 billion [$715 million] in October 2025, Rs494 billion [$1.76 billion] in December 2025 and $1.08 billion in January 2026.
He said with the latest debt repaid today, the July to January period of fiscal year 2026 alone recorded Rs2,150 billion [$7.69 billion] in early retirement, which was 44 percent higher than the debt retired in FY25.
He said of the total early repayments, the government has repaid 65 percent of the central bank’s debt, 30 percent of the treasury bills debt and five percent of the Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) debt.
The official said Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over Rs 80.5 trillion [$286.6 billion] in June 2025 to Rs80 trillion [$284.7 billion] in November 2025.
“Crucially, Pakistan’s debt-to-GDP ratio, around 74 percent in FY22, has declined to around 70 percent, reflecting a broader strengthening of fiscal fundamentals alongside disciplined debt management,” Schehzad wrote.
Pakistan’s government has said the country’s fragile economy is on an upward trajectory. The South Asian country has been trying to navigate a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
