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Pakistan will face a strong local team when they kick start their tour of South Africa with a three-day warm-up game in Kimberly on Saturday.

Big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Morne van Wyk will lead the Rest of South Africa squad in the practice game that is the only side game Pakistan would play ahead of the three-match Test series scheduled to get underway from January 11 at Centurion.

Van Wyk will spearhead a team that has a number of accomplished South African cricketers including Paul Adams, Boeta Dippenaar, Johan Botha and JP Duminy.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld, who impressed when he lined up against the Indians, is given another chance to press for higher honours and Albie Morkel, the brother of Morne Morkel who made his Test debut against India at Durban, is also in the squad.

The surprise inclusion in the team is that of Yusuf Abdullah, a 23-year-old left-arm paceman from the Dolphins, who has played just three first-class matches.

Pakistan are expected to announce their team for the practice match on Thursday.

Rest of South Africa squad: Boeta Dippenaar, Arno Jacobs, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, JP Duminy, Gulam Bodi, Morne van Wyk (captain), Albie Morkel, Johan Botha, Yusuf Abdullah, Garnett Kruger, Paul Adams.

Source:The News