LAHORE: The first Test between Pakistan and South Africa was set for a thrilling conclusion after rival spinners Noman Ali and Senuran Muthusamy wrought destruction on day three in Lahore on Tuesday.&nbsp;Muthusamy took a maiden 10-wicket match haul to help bowl Pakistan out for 167 in their second innings on another day dominated by spin to give South Africa a target of 277 for victory.&nbsp;But Noman, following up his 6-112 in the first innings, dismissed captain Aiden Markram for three and Wiaan Mulder (nought) to keep the visitors down to 51-2 at the close.&nbsp;Ryan Rickelton, 29 not out, and Tony de Zorzi, unbeaten on 16, fought till stumps with South Africa needing another 226 runs.&nbsp;Pakistan need eight wickets for a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.&nbsp;With the threatening spin duo of Noman and Sajid Khan the home team will fancy their chances.&nbsp;As a gripping match approaches its climax, Muthusamy destroyed Pakistan with figures of 5-57 to add to his 6-117 while fellow spinner Simon Harmer took 4-51 as Pakistan lost their last six wickets for 17 runs.&nbsp;The hosts were fairly well placed at 150-4 but Saud Shakeel holed out for 38 off Muthusamy to trigger a collapse in the last over before tea.&nbsp;Harmer bowled Mohammad Rizwan for 14 before Muthusamy ran riot.&nbsp;He dismissed Salman Agha for four, Noman Ali for 11 and Shaheen Shah Afridi for nought to finish with match figures of 11-174, taking four wickets off 21 balls.&nbsp;Harmer ended Pakistan&#39;s sloppy batting display by removing Sajid Khan for one.&nbsp;Earlier, South Africa were dismissed for 269 an hour before lunch, conceding a lead of 109 after Pakistan&#39;s first-innings 378.&nbsp;Noman took 6-112 for his ninth haul of five wickets or more in Tests.&nbsp;With the Gaddafi Stadium taking big turn, South Africa tossed Harmer the new ball in Pakistan&#39;s second innings.&nbsp;The 36-year-old had Imam-ul-Haq stumped by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne for nought before trapping captain Shan Masood lbw for seven.&nbsp;Muthusamy then had Abdullah Shafique for 41 and pacer Kagiso Rabada trapped Babar Azam leg-before for 42.&nbsp;Azam has now failed to score a hundred in 28 Test innings dating back to December 2022.&nbsp;Earlier, South Africa&#39;s De Zorzi resumed on 81 at the start of the day and carried the fight to Pakistan, completing his second Test century with a six and two singles off Noman.&nbsp;The left-hander finally holed out for 104 to long-on off Noman, where Shaheen Shah Afridi took a low catch, ending a 208-minute innings containing 10 fours and two sixes.&nbsp;Noman, who bowled a probing 35 overs, also removed Prenelan Subrayen for four during the session.&nbsp;Fellow spinner Sajid took the first wicket of the day when he had Muthusamy caught by Salman Agha for 11.&nbsp;He then wrapped up the innings when he bowled Rabada for nought to finish with 3-98 off 33 overs.

Cricket

Pakistan closed in on victory in the first Test at Lahore, needing eight wickets to win after Noman Ali’s superb spell put South Africa on the back foot in a spin-dominated third day.

Pakistan fancy chances as spinners run riot in South Africa Test

NEW DELHI: South Africa&#39;s lower order once again came to the rescue after a top order collapse, edging out Bangladesh by three wickets in a nail-biting finish in the Women&#39;s World Cup in Visakhapatnam on Monday.&nbsp;Chasing 233, the Proteas were on the ropes at 78-5, but their tail refused to throw in the towel, showing the same grit that saw them turn the tables on India in their previous outing.&nbsp;A gutsy 85-run stand for the sixth wicket between Marizanne Kapp, who made 56, and Chloe Tryon, 62, steadied the ship and gave the chase a fresh lease of life.&nbsp;Both batters brought up their half-centuries but their dismissals reopened the door for Bangladesh, who sniffed an upset.&nbsp;Then, Nadine de Klerk, South Africa&#39;s player for a crisis walked in and saw her side over the line.&nbsp;Her unbeaten 37 off 29 deliveries guided her side home with three balls to spare.&nbsp;When Tryon was run out by a direct hit from Ritu Moni, South Africa still needed 35 off 31 balls with three wickets in hand. De Klerk survived a few anxious moments, including a dropped chance on 26 and made Bangladesh pay dearly.&nbsp;With eight needed off the last over, she slashed the first ball from Nahida Akter through the covers for four, then sealed the deal in style, pulling the third ball for a six.&nbsp;The Proteas, who began the campaign in tatters after being bundled out for 69 in a 10-wicket drubbing by England, have now stitched together three wins on the trot to climb to third in the points table and suddenly, a semi-final berth looks well within reach.&nbsp;For Bangladesh, it was a tale of missed chances. A sharper fielding effort could well have tilted the scales their way.&nbsp;After a sluggish start which saw them reach 73-2 at the halfway stage, Bangladesh did well to post 232-6 in their 50 overs, thanks in main to a sparkling 51 not out from Shorna Akter.&nbsp;Coming off just 35 deliveries, it was the fastest fifty of the tournament so far and included three fours and three sixes.

South Africa won a close ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 match against Bangladesh by three wickets, with Nadine de Klerk’s unbeaten 37 guiding them to victory in the final over.


De Klerk steers South Africa to last over win against Bangladesh

LAHORE: Pakistan rode on a brilliant 93 from Imam-ul-Haq to reach 313-5 after a brief fightback from South Africa on the opening day of the first Test in Lahore on Sunday.&nbsp;Shan Masood hit 76, but Haq missed out on his hundred as Pakistan slumped to 199-5 as four wickets fell quickly.&nbsp;Mohammad Rizwan, 62 not out, and Salman Agha, unbeaten 52 at the close, rebuilt the innings during an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 114 in the final session on a spin-friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch.&nbsp;Rizwan hit two fours and two sixes in his 12th Test half-century while Agha had two fours and a six in reaching his 10th fifty.&nbsp;Pakistan dominated most of the first two sessions, but then had a mini-collapse from 163-1 to 199-5 as they lost four wickets for 36 runs, the last three without adding a run either side of the tea interval.&nbsp;Spinner Prenelan Subrayen trapped Masood lbw for 76, including nine fours and a six, to end a 161-run stand with Haq.&nbsp;Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy then had Haq caught at short-leg by Tony de Zorzi, after a 236-minute knock that included seven fours and a six.&nbsp;Next ball, the last before tea , Muthusamy had Saud Shakeel caught and bowled to bring South Africa back into the game at 199-4.&nbsp;Local hero Babar Azam fell for 23, trapped leg-before by off-spinner Simon Harmer after the interval to make it 199-5 and leave a good 10,000 holiday crowd disappointed.&nbsp;South Africa could have been in a better position had they not dropped Masood on 61 and Haq on 72 with Subrayen the unlucky bowler on both occasions.&nbsp;With the pitch likely to turn, Masood opted to bat after winning the toss and named specialist spin duo Noman Ali and Sajid Khan in the team&nbsp;Pakistan lost opener Abdullah Shafique leg before to pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada off the third ball of the day.&nbsp;South African captain Aiden Markram turned to his spinners in the sixth over and by lunch had used all three -- Subrayen, Harmer and Muthusamy.&nbsp;But there were no further dramas in the opening session as Pakistan reached 107-1 at lunch after Haq had brought up his 10th Test fifty.&nbsp;The two-match series is part of the new World Test Championship two-year cycle. South Africa won the title by beating Australia in June.

Pakistan reached 313-5 on day one of the Lahore Test against South Africa, led by Imam-ul-Haq’s 93 and a 114-run stand between Rizwan (62*) and Agha (52*) after a mid-innings collapse from 163-1 to 199-5.

Articles tagged with "SOUTHAFRICA"

Pakistan fancy chances as spinners run riot in South Africa Test

De Klerk steers South Africa to last over win against Bangladesh

Pakistan recover to 313-5 after South Africa strike back in first Test