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- PAK vs SA Live Score, 1st Test Match Day 2: Muthusamy helps South Africa bowl out Pakistan for 378
PAK vs SA Live Score, 1st Test Match Day 2: Muthusamy helps South Africa bowl out Pakistan for 378
Haq and Masood put on 161 for the second wicket after Kagiso Rabada struck early to dismiss Abdullah Shafique for a duck. The pair dominated until South Africa’s spinners turned things around. Prenelan Subrayen trapped Masood lbw, and Senuran Muthusamy removed Haq and Saud Shakeel in back-to-back deliveries before tea, reducing Pakistan from 163 for 1 to 199 for 5.
Babar Azam’s dismissal for 23 to Simon Harmer deepened the slump. However, Rizwan and Agha counterattacked in the final session with an unbroken 114-run stand, steering Pakistan to safety on a turning Gaddafi Stadium pitch.
Haq, playing his first Test since 2023, was disappointed to fall seven short of a century but insisted Pakistan are well placed, targeting a total beyond 400. South Africa’s bowlers rued missed chances, having dropped Haq on 72 and Masood on 61.
Harmer said the visitors aim to wrap up Pakistan’s innings quickly on Day 2, aware the surface will assist spinners later. The match marks the beginning of a new World Test Championship cycle, with South Africa defending their title after defeating Australia in June.
Kagiso Rabada to Imam-ul-Haq, On a length, shaping a hint away from the left-hander. Imam-ul-Haq prods in front to block this but the movement away beats Imam on his outside edge.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Good length around the pads, Shaheen Afridi milks this towards the on-side for one.
- Imam-ul-Haq 6 (7)
- Shan Masood 8 (3)
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, Good length on off, Imam-ul-Haq blocks this one out.
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, FOUR! A beautifully struck boundary from Imam-ul-Haq. Short-pitched, on off, Imam-ul-Haq gets on top of the bounce and cuts this through the point region for a boundary. Pakistan have already hit three boundaries so far.
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, Nagging length on middle and leg, going across the batter. Imam-ul-Haq goes for the flick but rolls his wrists early and gets it edged off the outside towards gully for no run. A little bit of mic-up between Imam and Shan but no harm done as the fielder fumbles.
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, Hits the hard length wide of off, Imam-ul-Haq leaves it all alone.
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, Good length on off, Imam-ul-Haq blocks this out on off.
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, Good length on off, Imam-ul-Haq pushes this to silly mid off for no run.
Wiaan Mulder to Imam-ul-Haq, ONO BALL! On a length nipping back into the batter, Imam-ul-Haq tucks this through square leg for a couple. Wiaan Mulder has overstepped and the umpire has called it a no ball.
Who'll share the attack? Well. It's pace from both ends as Wiaan Mulder will be bowling from the other end.
- Shan Masood 8 (3)
- Imam-ul-Haq 0 (0)
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, FOUR! What a start to the game as Shan Masood hits another boundary to end the over. 10 runs and a wicket off this Kagiso Rabada over. On a length around the pads, Shaheen Afridi leans over and flicks this through the backward square leg region for four more runs.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, FOUR! The skipper of Pakistan is up and running with a boundary. Pitched-up around off, Shan Masood gets right on top of the bounce and plays the off-drive to perfection for a boundary towards the long off fence.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Back of a length around middle and leg, Shan Masood tucks this to forward square leg for a dot.
Shan Masood walks out at 3.
Kagiso Rabada to Abdullah Shafique, OUT! Hits the hard length, around off, nipping back into the batter. Abdullah Shafique presses in front for the front foot block but gets beaten on the inside and wears it on his backpad. A confident appeal from Kagiso Rabada and the Proteas side but the umpire turns it down. Aiden Markram sends this upstairs without any hesitation. Nothing on the UltraEdge and three reds on Ball Tracker confirm the on-field decision of OUT. Some start tot he contest. A deck that is conducive for the spinners heavily has something in it for the pacers early on and Kagiso Rabada is a good enough bowler to even extract something out of nothing.
Kagiso Rabada to Abdullah Shafique, Goes full and in line with the sticks, Abdullah Shafique flicks this through the mid-wicket region and takes two to open his account and Pakistan's as well.
Kagiso Rabada to Abdullah Shafique, Good length around that fourth stump, Abdullah Shafique prods in front to block this one but gets beaten on the outside.
We are all set for action to begin. Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique have stepped out to open the innings for Pakistan, while Kagiso Rabada has taken his mark to spearhead the bowling attack for South Africa. The first ball is moments away.
PITCH REPORT - Ramiz Raja and Bazid Khan are pitchside and Ramiz reckons that Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first on a surface that looked abrasive. Bazid Khan also thinks that the pitch was still very dry, with cracks appearing on it right from the first morning itself, creating a situation where spinners could be effective. He further pointed out that in the landing area, there was a patch of grass compared to the rest of the pitch, which appeared brown. Both acknowledged that as the match progresses, the spinners will be expected to come into play even more. They emphasised the importance of establishing a solid first innings total as it would become tough to bat as the game went on.
Aiden Markram, the South Africa captain, expressed that he isn't nervous; instead, he sees it as an opportunity for his team to demonstrate their strength. Acknowledging the absence of Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj from a leadership standpoint, Markram emphasised that they are keen to put up a stellar performance. Having put in rigorous training and focused on adapting to the conditions, he underscored that it ultimately boils down to having self-belief and trusting one's abilities.
Shan Masood, the Pakistan captain, mentioned that they will bat first. Highlighting their bowling strengths, he noted they have two spinners who can bowl exceptionally well, and alongside that, if the pitch offers cracks or conditions for reverse swing, they want to be well-equipped in the pace department too. Reckons that it is a massive opportunity for them to gauge themselves against the World Test Champions and display their skills against top-notch opposition.
South Africa (Playing XI) - Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (C), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer.
Pakistan (Playing XI) - Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Agha (C), Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan.
TOSS - Pakistan has won the toss and they have elected to BAT first.
Both were recently absent from the Twenty20 Asia Cup in the UAE, making this series an important platform for their return.
With South Africa expected to field a spin-heavy attack, the pressure will be on the hosts’ top order to negotiate turning deliveries effectively.
Success from Babar and Rizwan, combined with a strong performance from the spinners, will be key for Pakistan’s hopes of starting their WTC campaign on a positive note.
Masood defended using spin-friendly pitches, saying the primary goal is to win at home. The strategy underscores Pakistan’s reliance on pitch conditions to maximise performance while providing opportunities for emerging players to step into crucial roles.
“It’s a good opportunity to play against the team that won the WTC last year,” Masood said.
He emphasised that a strong performance against South Africa could significantly boost confidence. With home advantage and favorable conditions, the team aims to use spinning tracks strategically to build momentum, which could carry over to more challenging away tours like England next year.
Frontline spinner Keshav Maharaj is also unavailable for the first Test due to a groin issue.
“We’re gonna miss Temba a lot as a leader, and Keshav, who has been incredible even when the ball doesn’t spin,” Markram said. However, he remains optimistic, highlighting the chance for newer spinners like Simon Harmer, Senuran Muthusamy, and Prenelan Subrayen to step up and prove their mettle under challenging conditions.
Recalling Pakistan’s tactics last year against England — employing industrial fans and patio heaters to produce dry, spinning tracks — Markram expects similar challenges.
“We expect the tracks to spin, and that’s Pakistan’s way of trying to win, which is completely fair,” he said. For a team less exposed to subcontinental conditions, Markram sees this as a valuable opportunity to prepare for their upcoming tour to India, while building confidence in tackling spin-heavy pitches.
After a strong start led by Haq and Masood’s 161-run second-wicket stand, Pakistan suffered a mini-collapse, slipping from 163 for 1 to 199 for 5 as South Africa’s spinners fought back.
Senuran Muthusamy dismissed both Haq and Saud Shakeel in successive deliveries, while Simon Harmer trapped Babar Azam leg-before soon after tea. Rizwan and Agha then steadied the innings with an unbeaten 114-run partnership on a pitch offering turn. Haq, returning to the Test side after nearly a year, expressed disappointment at missing a hundred but was pleased with Pakistan’s position.
South Africa, led by spinners Muthusamy, Harmer, and Subrayen, will look to restrict Pakistan below 400 on Day 2, knowing the pitch will deteriorate further. Earlier, Kagiso Rabada had struck early, removing Abdullah Shafique for a duck. The two-match series is part of the new World Test Championship cycle, with South Africa entering as reigning champions.
Match Statistics
Venue
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
