Pakistan secured a commanding victory over South Africa in the 1st Test at Lahore, winning by 93 runs. The match, played at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium, saw the hosts set a formidable target after their first innings score of 378.
Resilient batting from Imam-ul-Haq (93) and Saud Shakeel (93) was complemented by contributions from Babar Azam (23) and Rizwan (75), which laid the foundation for Pakistan's imposing total.
South Africa's response was marked by impressive bowling performances, especially from Pakistani spinner Noman Ali, who delivered a sensational effort with a 10-wicket haul-his third in Test cricket-equalling Nathan Lyon's record in the World Test Championship. Noman's spell of 6/112 in the first innings and 4/73 in the second set
the tone, dismantling the South African middle order and removing key players such as Brevis and Rickelton at crucial junctures. His remarkable consistency and ability to turn the ball on the worn pitch played a pivotal role in Pakistan's success.
South Africa's batting effort was characterized by a resilient, yet ultimately unsuccessful, chase. Tony de Zorzi (16) and Ryan Rickelton (45) anchored their innings while Dewald Brevis provided a late flourish with a rapid 54, but Pakistan's bowlers kept the pressure high. Pakistan's attack, featuring Shaheen Afridi and Sajid Khan, complemented Noman's spin dominance, restricting South Africa to 183 in the fourth innings and sealing the victory.
This victory gave Pakistan a 1-0 series lead, underlining the effectiveness of their spin duo at home and the growing influence of Noman Ali, who now has 10 wickets in this match and a total of 50 wickets across his last five Tests.
WTC Points Table after Pakistan beat South Africa
Pakistan moved to 2nd place in the table after winning the 1st Test against South Africa. South Africa remains in 7th place with zero points after the loss. Australia leads the table with three wins in three matches. India stands 4th with a 61.90% points percentage. The 2nd Test in the Pakistan-South Africa series will take place in Rawalpindi from October 20 to 24.
| Pos | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | NR | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 100.000 |
| 2 | Pakistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 100.000 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 66.670 |
| 4 | India | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 61.900 |
| 5 | England | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 43.330 |
| 6 | Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16.670 |
| 7 | South Africa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 8 | West Indies | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
