Lahore, October 13, 2025: On day two of the Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 first Test, South Africa fought hard but still trails by 162 runs after posting 216-6. Left-handed batter Tony de Zorzi impressed with his composure against spin on a difficult, abrasive pitch, remaining unbeaten on 81 by stumps.
Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Noman Ali led the bowling attack, taking four wickets for 85 runs. South Africa’s own left-arm spinner, Senuran Muthusamy, also starred with a career-best haul of 6-117, including a remarkable triple-wicket over that helped dismiss Pakistan for 378 in the first session. Salman Ali Agha narrowly missed out on a century, falling for 93 as the last wicket.
De Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton had earlier revived South Africa with a gritty 94-run third-wicket partnership. Rickelton scored 71, but South Africa lost four quick wickets for just 26 runs, allowing Pakistan to regain momentum. Captain Aiden Markram reached 3,000 Test runs but was dismissed for 20, while Wiaan Mulder, who scored a triple century in South Africa’s previous Test against Zimbabwe, fell for 17. Both were caught behind off Noman Ali as Pakistan used their spinners from the start.
Rickelton and de Zorzi handled the spinners well, playing deep in the crease and moving their feet effectively. However, off-spinner Salman Ali Agha broke their partnership with a breakthrough caught brilliantly by Babar Azam in the slip, dismissing Rickelton when he attempted an expansive shot.
De Zorzi began nervously, edging two deliveries from fast bowler Hasan Ali through the slips, but quickly settled against spin, showing a wide array of strokes. Pakistan used all three of their reviews unsuccessfully, including two LBW appeals against de Zorzi. South Africa’s young batters Tristan Stubbs (8) and Dewald Brevis (0) struggled on the spin-friendly track, with Stubbs edging Noman Ali and Brevis giving a simple catch to mid-on off Salman Ali Agha. Noman further dented South Africa’s progress by trapping Kyle Verreynne LBW shortly before stumps.
Earlier in the innings, Muthusamy had turned the game with a triple-wicket maiden over, reducing Pakistan from 362-5 to 362-8. Nine overs later, Agha fell for 93, holed out to Muthusamy at mid-on.
Pakistan vs South Africa 2025: Batters Build Big Partnerships Despite South Africa Fightback
Pakistan’s innings saw strong contributions from multiple batters in the Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 match. Opening batter Imam-ul-Haq, returning to Test cricket after almost two years, scored 93 on the first day and shared a 161-run partnership with captain Shan Masood (76). Resuming from 313-5 on a dry pitch with variable bounce, Agha and Mohammad Rizwan (75) extended the sixth-wicket partnership to 163, frustrating South Africa’s attack, including a short spell from Kagiso Rabada (1-56). Rizwan showcased his sweeping skills against spinner Simon Harmer, who finished with 1-101, while Agha smashed five fours and three sixes in his 145-ball innings.
This partnership surpassed Pakistan’s previous best for the sixth wicket against South Africa, set by Moin Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq (144 runs in Faisalabad, 1997). Eventually, Rizwan was caught behind off Muthusamy while attempting an off-drive. Muthusamy then removed Noman Ali and had Moin Khan caught by Markram, nearly achieving a hat-trick for the second time in the innings. Agha denied him the hat-trick but was eventually dismissed by Prenelan Subrayen (2-87) while attempting a big shot off the off-spinner.
By the end of day two, South Africa remains under pressure in the Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 first Test, trailing by 162 runs, with de Zorzi and Rickelton holding the innings together and hoping to give their team a chance to fight back on a spinner-friendly pitch. This Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 contest has already seen remarkable individual performances from Agha, de Zorzi, and Muthusamy, keeping fans on edge.
With Pakistan setting challenging partnerships and South Africa showing resilience, the Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 series promises more exciting cricket in the coming days. The battle between the spinners and the batters in the Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 first Test will be crucial for determining the direction of the series. By stumps, the Pakistan vs South Africa 2025 match showcased both batting skill and spin mastery, leaving the outcome wide open for day three.
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