Pakistan’s men’s Test captain Shan Masood expressed satisfaction after Pakistan’s impressive 93-run victory against South Africa in the first Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, but also cautioned that consistency remains the team’s biggest challenge. The Green Shirts outplayed the World Test champions in a gripping four-day contest that saw brilliant bowling displays from Noman Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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After being set a target of 277 runs for victory, South Africa was bowled out for just 183 on the fourth day. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali emerged as the star performer, taking 10 wickets in the match and completely bamboozling the South African batters on a turning surface. His outstanding figures of 10-191 earned him the Player of the Match award, marking his third ten-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shan Masood said, “The message is this — we are playing good cricket against quality oppositions. But the challenge is to perform consistently and keep winning against top teams.” The skipper emphasized that although Pakistan performed well in home conditions, they would need to improve further to replicate such results abroad, where opportunities to recover from mistakes are limited.
The match saw several key moments that defined Pakistan’s dominance. After posting 378 runs in their first innings, thanks to a strong partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha, Pakistan restricted South Africa to 269. Despite collapsing to 167 in their second innings, Pakistan’s spinners and pacers ensured that the total was enough on a deteriorating pitch.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, who had been quiet earlier in the match, found his rhythm on the fourth day. His sharp in-swinger trapped Tony de Zorzi leg-before, igniting a collapse in South Africa’s batting lineup. Shaheen finished with figures of 4-33, wrapping up the South African tail and sealing Pakistan’s victory. Shan praised the left-arm pacer’s spell, saying, “Shaheen showed why he is considered among the top bowlers in the world. His performance today was world-class.”
Pakistan’s win was not just a triumph but also a statement at the start of their World Test Championship campaign. After finishing at the bottom in the previous edition, the team now looks determined to change the narrative. Shan admitted that while the spinners and bowlers did an exceptional job, there were still concerns in the middle order. “We lost 11 wickets for just 37 runs across two innings — that’s something we must address before the next game,” he added.
For South Africa, the defeat ended their ten-match winning streak in Test cricket. Captain Aiden Markram acknowledged Pakistan’s superior performance and admitted that the first-innings deficit of 109 runs proved decisive. “They built a really good partnership when we had them five down. That stand between Rizwan and Salman changed the game,” Markram said. He also noted that while his team fought hard, they needed to clean up their game before the next Test in Rawalpindi.
South Africa’s Senuran Muthusamy was the standout bowler for his side, taking 11 wickets in the match, but his efforts went in vain as the rest of the bowling attack struggled for consistency. Batters like Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton showed resistance but failed to convert starts into match-defining innings.
Pakistan’s complete team effort — led by Noman’s spin and Shaheen’s pace — has given them momentum and confidence heading into the second and final Test. As Shan Masood put it, “This win is just the beginning. To be among the best, we must keep performing like this against every top side.”
With the series now shifting to Rawalpindi, Pakistan will aim to maintain their dominance and secure a clean sweep against the Proteas, solidifying their position early in the World Test Championship cycle.
