LAHORE: Half-centuries from ope­ner Imam-ul-Haq, captain Shan Masood, and the unbeaten pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha put Pakistan firmly in control of the opening day of their first Test against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Sunday before a good holiday crowd.

Winning a vital toss on a dry surface expected to assist spin later, Pakistan opted to bat and finished the day at 313 for five in 90 overs, recovering strongly after a brief collapse in the middle session.

The hosts began poorly when opener Abdullah Shafique (two) was trapped leg-before wicket by Kagiso Rabada off the third ball of the innings. Though the on-field umpire turned down the appeal, South Africa successfully reviewed the decision, replays confirming the ball had hit Shafique’s back pad in front of middle stump.

But from that early setback at 2-1, Imam and Shan led a fine recovery, adding 161 runs for the second wicket. The left-handed pair batted sensibly, refusing to allow the bowlers to capitalise on the early breakthrough. Shan drove and cut fluently, hitting Rabada for consecutive boundaries in his second over, while Imam anchored the innings confidently.

Off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen was introduced as early as the sixth over, followed by Simon Harmer and left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy as South Africa turned to spin early. Shan lifted Subrayen over the bowler’s head for the first six of the innings, while Imam accumulated runs steadily, reaching his 10th Test half-century off 65 balls with five boundaries.

By the 25th over, Pakistan had reached 100 without further loss. Shan completed his 12th Test half-century soon after lunch, scoring his fifty off 93 balls with six fours and a six. South Africa’s fielders then let slip two chances that could have changed the complexion of the day: Tony de Zorzi dropped Shan at short-leg off Subrayen when the skipper was on 61, while Wiaan Mulder put down Imam on 73 at mid-off off the same bowler.

Taking full advantage, the pair took the total to 163 before Subrayen finally broke through, trapping Shan lbw for 76 off 147 balls, an innings that included nine boundaries and a six. The partnership yielded 161 runs off 284 balls and had taken Pakistan to a commanding position.

Babar Azam joined Imam amid warm applause from the home crowd and survived an early scare when a caught-behind decision against him off Muthusamy was overturned on review. Babar then struck four crisp boundaries — three in successive deliveries off Muthusamy and one off Subrayen — and looked to be settling in.

Imam, approaching a well-deserved century, was undone by Muthusamy, who induced a sharp catch at short-leg held by de Zorzi. The opener fell for 93, having faced 153 balls and struck seven fours and a six. The dismissal triggered a collapse as Saud Shakeel fell to the very next delivery, offering a return catch to Muthusamy without scoring.

Pakistan went to tea at 199 for four after adding 92 runs in the second session. Soon after the interval, Harmer trapped Babar lbw for 23 after a review confirmed the ball was hitting middle stump, reducing Pakistan to 199 for five in the 57th over. Babar faced 48 balls and hit four boundaries. His brief innings saw him complete 3,000 runs in ICC Test Championship matches, achieved in his 37th Test.

From that precarious position, Rizwan and Salman staged a crucial recovery. They first took Pakistan past 200 in the 60th over and thereafter batted with assurance, blunting the spinners under fading light. Rizwan began positively, lofting Muthusamy over his head for six and adding two boundaries off Harmer in the next over. Salman also joined in, driving Harmer for four as the pair kept the scoreboard ticking.

Their sixth-wicket partnership reached fifty off 84 balls, and the total moved past 250 in the 74th over. Rizwan reached his 12th Test fifty off 81 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours, while Salman completed his 10th half-century off 69 deliveries, with a six and two fours.

Earlier, Salman had two close calls — first when he was dropped at short-leg by de Zorzi off Harmer on 49, and earlier when a catch went down in the slips. The pair added 114 runs off 184 balls for the unbroken sixth wicket, taking Pakistan to a commanding 313 for five at stumps. Rizwan was unbeaten on 62 and Salman on 52.

South Africa’s spinners bowled 74 of the day’s 90 overs. Muthusamy returned figures of 2-101, Subrayen took 1-72, and Harmer 1-75, while Rabada (1-21) was the only pacer to strike. Mulder remained wicket-less for 41 runs, and skipper Aiden Markram bowled one over.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings):

Abdullah Shafique lbw Rabada2

Imam ul-Haq c de Zorzi b Muthusamy93

Shan Masood lbw Subrayen76

Babar Azam lbw Harmer23

Saud Shakeel c&b Muthusamy0

Mohammad Rizwan not out62

Salman Ali Agha not out52

EXTRAS (LB-3, NB-2)5

TOTAL (for five wickets, 90 overs)313

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-2 (Abdullah), 2-163 (Shan), 3-199 (Imam), 4-199 (Saud), 5-199 (Babar)

STILL TO BAT: Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan

BOWLING: Rabada 13-2-43-1, Mulder 2-0-13-0 (2nb), Subrayen 20-0-72-1, Harmer 28-5-75-1, Muthusamy 26-5-101-2, Markram 1-0-6-0

SOUTH AFRICA: T. de Zorzi, R. Rickleton, W. Mulder, A. Markram, T. Stubbs, D. Brewis, K. Verreynne, P. Subrayen, S. Muthusamy, S. Harmer, K. Rabada

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2025