Rashid Latif becomes their fifth captain in 10 months, taking over from Aamir Sohail for the final South African Test which starts in Port Elizabeth today.
Rashid, who started the tour as captain but then suffered disc problems, which kept him out of the first two Tests, is one of three expected changes in the team who beat South Africa in Durban earlier this week to go one up in the series.
Wasim Akram, now back in favour in some quarters of Pakistan cricket, should step into the side less than two days after arriving from Old Trafford, along with Inzamam-ul-Haq, whose twisted ankle forced him to step down in Durban.
To accommodate the new captain, Moin Khan whose wicketkeeping has been outstanding on this tour, will be played as a batsman. Rashid will be a lower-order batsman in a side who really need no bolstering.
It is a change quite in keeping with Pakistan's reputation for unpredictability. Captains come and go like phases of the moon, and three years ago Rashid himself was announcing his retirement from cricket because he was fed up with the behaviour of a previous incumbant, Salim Malik.
Rashid came back into favour when Majid Khan took over as chief executive of the Pakistan board, but he has not played a Test since he appeared at Lord's nearly two years ago. His position in South Africa is due probably to Majid's desire to break the grip of the 'old guard' in the side by appointing a Mr Clean, untainted by suggestions of betting and fixing.
Rashid can tap the wisdom of five ex-captains: Wasim, Sohail, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar and Moin.
Rashid's opposite number, Hansie Cronje, was in down-beat mood, which suggested he was fearing the worst in Port Elizabeth. Cronje seems drained by the demands of the game - by the end of this summer's England tour the side will have played 16 Tests and a possible 27 one-days in 10 months.
The match could be disrupted by township sports lovers upset at the lack of black players in the South African side.
Keith Arnold, a spokesman, told South African state radio that more than 100 demonstrators planned to protest.
South Africa: *W J Cronje, A M Bacher, G Kirsten, J H Kallis, H D Ackerman, A C Hudson, S M Pollock, -M V Boucher, P S de Villiers, A A Donald, P R Adams.
Pakistan (probable): *-Rashid Latif, Aamir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Moin Khan, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shoaib Akhtar.