Pakistan Halts the Proteas' 10-Test Victory Run.

Cricket match action

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

First Test, the Gaddafi Stadium (day four)

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

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

The hosts secured a 93-run victory

The national team terminated world champions the Proteas' unbeaten run by achieving a 93-run win in an entertaining and competitive first Test in Lahore.

The Proteas, whose 10-match winning streak in the longest format ended with a win against Australia in the World Test Championship final in June, were dismissed for 183 chasing 277.

Having resumed on 51-2, they saw the dismissal of first-innings centurion De Zorzi leg before wicket to left-arm quick Afridi to the third ball of the day to shift the tightly balanced chase in Pakistan's favor.

Left-arm spinner Noman, who took 10 wickets for 191 runs in the match, dismissed Tristan Stubbs for 2 and bowled Dewald Brevis, who offered some resistance with a rapid 54.

Right-arm spinner Sajid also capitalized on sharp turn to terminate opening batsman Rickelton's stay - he lasted 145 deliveries for 45 runs - and Afridi returned in the post-lunch session to dismiss the lower order with a impressive exhibition of reverse swing.

He had Verreynne leg before for nineteen and dismissed Prenelan Subrayen and Kagiso Rabada to secure the win.

It was each team's opening game of the 2025-27 Test championship cycle and propels the hosts straight into second place after table-toppers the Australian team.

Their victory was built around contributions of 93 by opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq and, crucially, number seven Salman Agha which lifted them to three hundred and seventy-eight.

After that spinners Noman and Sajid utilized helpful home pitches, as they did in their Test series win over England the previous year, to sustain their advantage.

The second and final Test starts on 20 October.

Kelli Murphy
Kelli Murphy

A passionate historian and science enthusiast with a knack for storytelling and uncovering hidden truths.