LAHORE (Abdul Basit): Pakistan made a measured recovery after an early blow on the opening morning of the first Test against South Africa, reaching 107 for 1 at lunch on Day 1 at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan were rocked in just the third delivery of the match when opener Abdullah Shafique was trapped lbw by Kagiso Rabada for 2, leaving the hosts at a shaky 2 for 1. But what followed was a calm and composed revival led by opener Imam-ul-Haq and newly-appointed captain Shan Masood, who together put on an unbroken 105-run stand to wrest back the initiative from the visitors.
Imam, who has often delivered under pressure at home, looked in fluent touch from the outset. He displayed excellent footwork against the spinners and patience against the pace of Rabada and Mulder. The left-hander brought up his half-century off 77 balls, eventually going to lunch unbeaten on 59 off 89 deliveries, laced with five boundaries.
At the other end, Shan Masood, leading Pakistan in the ICC World Test Championship, played a solid hand. He was content rotating the strike early on but gradually began to open up with crisp drives and a beautiful straight six off spinner Prenelan Subrayen. He went into the break unbeaten on 44 off 78 balls, with four fours and one six, suggesting signs of a big score in the making.
The South African bowling, after the initial success, looked largely toothless on a dry and slow Lahore pitch. Rabada, the only bowler to find success, bowled a sharp initial spell but lacked consistent support. Spinners Simon Harmer, Prenelan Subrayen, and Senuran Muthusamy found some grip but failed to pose any significant threat to the well-set Pakistan batters.
South Africa’s captain Aiden Markram rotated his bowlers regularly but is yet to find a breakthrough after that early strike. The hosts, on the other hand, will be pleased with the stability shown by their top order after early nerves.
This two-match series marks the beginning of Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27, while South Africa enter as the defending champions of the previous cycle. The match also marks the first time Pakistan are opening a WTC cycle at home, a rare occurrence in recent years for the Test side.
LUNCH SCORECARD – DAY 1, 1ST TEST: PAKISTAN VS SOUTH AFRICA
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS: 107/1 in 28 overs (Imam-ul-Haq: 59*, Shan Masood 44*; Kagiso Rabada 1-27) vs SOUTH AFRICA.
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