October 12, 2025 – Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan and South Africa began their Test series on Sunday at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. It was the first match of the two-Test series. Pakistan ended Day 1 in a strong position, scoring 313 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. But South Africa didn’t give up easily. They kept fighting throughout the day, even though the conditions were tough for them.

Toss and Team News

Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first. Their captain Shan Masood wanted to take advantage of the spin-friendly pitch. South Africa missed two key players. Regular captain Temba Bavuma was out due to a calf injury. Star spinner Keshav Maharaj was also unavailable. Aiden Markram led the team in Bavuma’s absence.

Spin Takes Over Early

The pitch in Lahore offered a lot of help to spin bowlers. South Africa used spin from both ends very early in the match. Prenelan Subrayen bowled the sixth over. Simon Harmer came in before the eleventh. Senuran Muthusamy also played, making it three spinners in the team. This is rare for South Africa, who usually rely more on pace bowlers.

Out of the 90 overs bowled on Day 1, spinners delivered 75. Fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Wiaan Mulder bowled fewer overs than any of the spinners. This shows how much the pitch favored slow bowling.

Pakistan’s Batting Performance

Pakistan’s batters handled the spin well. They looked comfortable on their home ground. Mohammad Rizwan scored 62 runs from 107 balls. He played with patience and skill. Salman Agha also did well, scoring 52 runs from 83 balls. Both helped Pakistan build a solid total.

Pakistan lost five wickets, but they kept scoring runs steadily. The run rate was around 3.48, which is good for a Test match. The team looked confident and calm throughout the day.

South Africa’s Effort

Even though the pitch was difficult, South Africa didn’t back down. Their spinners tried hard to take wickets. Senuran Muthusamy bowled 26 overs and took 2 wickets, giving away 101 runs. The fielders supported the bowlers with good energy. South Africa kept trying to break partnerships and slow down the scoring.

Aiden Markram said before the match that the team was ready for the challenge. They had practiced on spin-friendly pitches in Pretoria. He called it a great opportunity to learn and improve. Even without their top players, South Africa showed fight and spirit.

What’s Next?

Pakistan will continue batting on Day 2. They will try to reach a big total and put pressure on South Africa. The visitors will hope to take early wickets and get back into the game. The pitch will likely help spinners again, so both teams will need to play carefully.

This match is important for both sides. Pakistan wants to improve their record in the World Test Championship. South Africa is starting their title defense. The first day showed that Pakistan is in their comfort zone, but South Africa is not going away easily.

Stay tuned for more updates as the Test match continues.