Pakistan Halts South Africa's 10-Test Unbeaten Run.

Cricket match action

Shaheen Afridi took four wickets in the second innings after going wicketless in the initial session.

First Test, the Gaddafi Stadium (the fourth day)

The home side 378 (Imam-ul-Haq 93, Agha 93; Muthusamy 6-117) & 167 (Babar Azam 42; the spinner 5-57)

The visitors 269 (Tony de Zorzi 104; Noman 6-112) & 183 (Brevis 54; Shaheen Afridi 4-33, Noman 4-79)

The hosts secured a 93-run victory

Pakistan terminated the reigning champions South Africa's winning streak by completing a 93-run win in an exciting and hard-fought opening Test in the city of Lahore.

South Africa, whose 10-Test unbeaten run in the longest format culminated in a win against the Aussies in the WTC final in the month of June, were dismissed for 183 in pursuit of 277.

Starting the day on 51-2, they saw the dismissal of first-innings centurion De Zorzi lbw to pace bowler Afridi to the third delivery of the day to shift the finely-poised run chase in the home team's favor.

Slow left-armer Noman Ali, who took 10-191 in the game, removed Stubbs for 2 and bowled Brevis, who offered some resistance with a run-a-ball 54.

Right-arm spinner Sajid Khan also took advantage of sharp turn to terminate opener Ryan Rickelton's innings - he lasted 145 deliveries for 45 - and Afridi came back in the post-lunch session to dismiss the tail with a impressive exhibition of reverse-swing bowling.

He had Kyle Verreynne leg before for nineteen and bowled Subrayen and Rabada to secure the win.

It was each team's first match of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle and propels the hosts straight into second place after table-toppers Australia.

Their victory was founded on contributions of 93 by opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq and, crucially, number seven Agha which boosted them to three hundred and seventy-eight.

From there slow bowlers Noman Ali and Sajid Khan took advantage of favourable home conditions, as they had in their series victory over the English team the previous year, to sustain their advantage.

The second and final Test starts on October 20.

Bethany Long
Bethany Long

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