Pakistan delivered a stunning blow to world test cricket champions South Africa, ending their remarkable 10-match winning streak with a comprehensive 93-run victory in the first test on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
Left-arm spinner Noman Ali continued his impressive form on home wickets, which proved perfectly suited for spin. He finished with an exceptional match haul of 10-191, as the Proteas were ultimately dismissed for 183 runs shortly after lunch on Day 4.
Noman’s performance adds to an already stellar record, having claimed 46 wickets in his last five home test matches, including dominant displays of 20 wickets against England and 16 against the West Indies.
Building on his first-innings figures of 6-112, Noman then secured another 4-79 during a tireless, unchanged spell of 28 overs. Support came from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who expertly utilized reverse swing to dismantle the tail, finishing with 4-33. Together, their efforts ensured South Africa fell significantly short of their 277-run target.
South Africa began the day at 51-2, but their batting lineup visibly struggled against the turning ball on a challenging, abrasive wicket. This allowed Pakistan to capitalize on their formidable 109-run first-innings lead.
Shaheen Shah Afridi made an immediate impact, striking with only the third ball of the morning session. He dismissed Tony de Zorzi for 16, who had been a century-scorer in the first innings, with a sharp delivery that pinned him on the back leg.
Tristan Stubbs’ difficulties against spin bowling persisted. Attempting a mistimed reverse sweep against Noman, he offered a leading edge that resulted in a straightforward chest-high catch for Salman Ali Agha in the slips, departing for just 2 runs.
A promising 73-run partnership between Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton briefly offered hope for South Africa. However, both batsmen were dismissed before lunch, shifting the momentum firmly back in Pakistan’s favor.
The 22-year-old Brevis, known for his explosive white-ball batting and playing in only his third test, had an early scare. He survived an LBW review off Noman’s very first ball.
Undeterred, Brevis then unleashed an attacking display, smashing Noman for a straight six and two boundaries within a single over. He soon reached his half-century with another edged boundary, and even dispatched the left-arm spinner for a second straight six.
Following his rapid fifty off just 51 balls, Brevis executed another reverse sweep for four. However, his aggressive innings was cut short when a delivery from Noman spun sharply to shatter his stumps.
Off-spinner Sajid Khan finally brought an end to Ryan Rickelton’s defiant innings, with Agha taking another sharp catch in the slips. Rickelton’s gritty 45 runs came off 145 deliveries, but South Africa found themselves struggling at 137-6 heading into lunch.
After the break, Sajid Khan quickly struck again, trapping Senuran Muthusamy LBW with a full, relatively straight delivery as the left-hander misjudged an ambitious sweep. Shaheen Shah Afridi then efficiently finished off the remaining tail-enders.
Looking ahead, the second and final test of the series is set to commence on Monday in Rawalpindi. South Africa will be hoping for a stronger performance, boosted by the anticipated return of experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj, who was sidelined for the first test due to injury.