LAHORE, Pakistan — A brilliant 10-wicket performance from left-arm spinner Noman Ali and a solid four-wicket haul from Shaheen Afridi propelled Pakistan to a 93-run victory over South Africa in the first Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.
Noman Ali’s Match-Winning Spell
In a gripping contest, South Africa’s chase of 277 runs faltered as they were bowled out for 183. Noman Ali was the chief architect of Pakistan’s triumph, taking a remarkable 6 wickets for 107 in the first innings, and following it up with 4 wickets for 79 in the second innings. His excellent performance earned him the player of the match award.
The visitors, already under pressure, lost early wickets during the chase. South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, was dismissed by Noman for just three runs, leaving his side at 13-1. Noman struck again soon after, removing Wiaan Mulder for a duck, leaving the South African batsmen under immense pressure.
Shaheen Afridi’s Impact and Sajid Khan’s Support
Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s pace spearhead, also played a pivotal role, taking 4 wickets for 33 runs. His early breakthrough in the second innings, dismissing Tony de Zorzi for 16 runs, added to the pressure on the South African side. The two spinners, Noman and Sajid Khan, combined to rip through South Africa’s middle order.
Dewald Brevis, who had a disappointing first innings, fought back with a quick 54 runs off 54 balls, including a series of boundary shots. However, Noman Ali’s timely wicket of Brevis at 128-5 reduced any hopes of a South African fightback.
Sajid Khan continued his excellent form, dismissing both Rickelton and Senuran Muthusamy, leaving South Africa reeling at 144-7. Shaheen Afridi sealed the deal by removing Kyle Verreynne and Prenelan Subrayen in quick succession, bringing Pakistan home.
Pakistan’s Strong First Innings
Pakistan’s victory was set up by a commanding first-innings total of 378 runs, with contributions from Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha, who each scored 93 runs. In reply, South Africa’s batting faltered as they were dismissed for 269. Tony de Zorzi’s fighting century (104) could not prevent Pakistan from taking a 109-run lead.
In the second innings, Pakistan faced a setback after being bowled out for 167, despite a solid 42 from Babar Azam and contributions from Abdullah Shafique (41) and Saud Shakeel (38). South African bowler Muthusamy claimed 5 wickets for 57 runs, while Simon Harmer took 4 wickets.
A Historic Win for Pakistan
With the win, Pakistan secured an important 93-run victory, thanks to their brilliant bowling attack led by Noman Ali, who was instrumental in both innings. The strong team performance saw Pakistan gain an early advantage in the series, with hopes of carrying this momentum forward into the upcoming matches.
The first Test was a display of excellent bowling and resilient batting, which has set the tone for what promises to be an exciting series between Pakistan and South Africa.
