PAK vs SA 1st Test Day 2 Highlights: Pakistan Take Control as Noman Ali Shines, South Africa 216/6
Noman Ali’s excellent bowling helped Pakistan take control as South Africa finished day two of the first Test at 216 for 6 in 67 overs, still 162 runs behind. Tony de Zorzi was the only batsman left at the crease on Monday at the Gaddafi Stadium. Chasing Pakistan’s total of 378, South African openers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton started strongly, batting with assurance before lunch.
After the break, Markram, who recently reached 3,000 Test runs for South Africa added some useful runs with Rickelton. But Noman Ali broke the partnership by getting Markram out for 20 runs off 37 balls leaving South Africa at 45 for 1 in 11.5 overs. Wiaan Mulder then joined Rickelton and played some good shots, while Rickelton kept finding the boundary, taking the score to 75 for 1 in 22 overs. Their stand ended when Noman struck again, dismissing Mulder for 17 off 41 balls, which included three fours.
Tony de Zorzi came in next and had some luck, edging two balls past the slips for boundaries. His runs helped South Africa reach 90 for 2 in 26 overs. In the final session, Rickelton batted well, scoring his first Test fifty and building a 50-run stand with de Zorzi. De Zorzi batted with confidence, raising his third Test half-century as South Africa moved past 150 to reach 154 for 2 after 45 overs. Both batsmen kept the pressure on Pakistan by finding regular boundaries and growing in confidence.
But the 94-run partnership ended when Salman Ali Agha dismissed Rickelton, who made a solid 71 off 137 balls with nine fours and two sixes leaving South Africa at 174 for 3 in 50.1 overs. After that, Pakistan took control. Tristan Stubbs was out for just eight runs to Noman Ali, who took his third wicket. In the next over, Sajid Khan struck, getting Dewald Brevis out for a first-ball duck, putting South Africa in trouble at 193 for 5 in 56 overs. Noman Ali stayed on fire, taking his fourth wicket by trapping Kyle Verreynne LBW for only two runs off 12 balls.
South African Spinners Impress on Day Two
Earlier, Pakistan scored 378 runs in 110.4 overs, helped by a strong spell from spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who took his best Test figures. Pakistan lost an early wicket when Abdullah Shafique was out LBW to Kagiso Rabada for just two runs in the first over. Captain Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq then built a solid 161-run partnership. Imam, playing his first Test since 2023, hit his 10th fifty, while Shan made his 12th. Their stand ended when Prenelan Subrayen dismissed Shan for 76 off 147 balls, with nine fours and one six, making the score 163 for 2.
Babar Azam looked in good touch and reached a big milestone, becoming the first Pakistani and the eighth player overall to score 3,000 runs in the ICC World Test Championship. Before tea on day one, Senuran Muthusamy struck twice, removing Imam-ul-Haq for 93 off 153 balls and Saud Shakeel for a first-ball duck, as Pakistan slipped to 199 for 4. After the break, Babar was out for 23 off 48 balls to Simon Harmer, but Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha steadied the innings with a solid 50-run stand. Rizwan reached his 12th Test fifty, while Salman scored his 10th half-century.
On day two, starting at 313 for 5, Rizwan and Salman carried on confidently, adding over 150 runs, the highest sixth-wicket stand for Pakistan against South Africa at home. Muthusamy finally broke the partnership by dismissing Rizwan for 75 off 140 balls. He then tore through the lower order, taking six wickets in total, including Noman Ali and Sajid Khan for ducks, and bowling Shaheen Afridi for seven. Salman Ali Agha fell for a fine 93 off 145 balls, as Pakistan were all out for 378. Muthusamy finished with excellent figures of 6 for 117, while Prenelan Subrayen took two wickets and Rabada and Harmer got one each.
