Pakistan’s Solid Batting on Day 1 of Lahore Test, South Africa Under Pressure from Spinner's Turn

 Staff Reporter | PNN:

On the first day of the Test match that began on Sunday, Pakistan’s batting was solid and disciplined. Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood put together a 161-run partnership for the second wicket, followed by Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha’s unbeaten 114-run stand for the sixth wicket, taking Pakistan to 313/5.

On the second day, before lunch, Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 16 runs. While no batsman could score a century, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Agha both made 93 runs before being dismissed. Captain Shan Masood was out for 76, and Mohammad Rizwan for 75.

South Africa’s three spinners—Senuran Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, and Simon Harmer—took a total of 9 wickets, with Muthusamy claiming 6 wickets alone. The remaining wicket was taken by pace bowler Kagiso Rabada.

At the start of the first day, Rabada tried to stop Pakistan, but Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq effectively dealt with the spinners' sharp attack. By the end of the day, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha remained unbeaten, taking Pakistan to 313/5.

South Africa's missed catches and the resilience of Pakistan’s batsmen have influenced the course of the match in the first two days. In particular, the turn from the spinners in the following days could make them even more dangerous, which could become a decisive factor in the Test.