Tag: South Africa

LAHORE: Tony de Zorzi led South Africa’s resistance while Noman Ali took four wickets, putting Pakistan in a strong position at stumps on the second day of the first Test at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

South Africa were 216-6 at the close of the play, with Tony de Zorzi remaining unbeaten on 81 from 140 balls while Senuran Muthusamy is not out on six from 19 deliveries.

The highlight of the session was a 94-run partnership between De Zorzi and Riyan Rickelton. Both batters struck half-centuries and brought the team’s total to 174.

The stand eventually culminated with the set of Rickelton’s wicket, courtesy of Agha Salman’s bowling. He made 71 from 137 with the help of nine fours and two sixes.

The wicket opened the door for Pakistan as Noman and Sajid sliced through the Proteas’ middle-order and put them in a similar position to Pakistan. The visitors went from 175-3 to 200-6 in a span of 10 overs.

Tristan Stubbs was caught behind for eight while Dewald Brevis fell for a golden duck. Kyle Verreynne could not trouble the scorers much as he made six from 19.

For Pakistan, Nomal Ali starred with the ball, picking up four wickets in his 27 overs.

South Africa were 10 without loss at lunch and batted steadily in the afternoon session.

Aiden Markram, who earlier crossed the 3,000-run milestone, was the first to fall after the interval, dismissed by Noman Ali for 20 off 37 balls with the score at 45-1.

Wiaan Mulder then joined Ryan Rickelton and the pair stitched together a cautious stand to stabilise the innings.

Rickelton continued to find the gaps while Mulder played some crisp drives before Noman struck again, removing the right-hander for 17 off 41 deliveries, including three boundaries.

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Tony de Zorzi then arrived at the crease and rode his luck early, edging a couple of deliveries past the slips for boundaries.

His presence, however, proved valuable as he and Rickelton guided South Africa to 112-2 at Tea in 34 overs, trailing Pakistan by 266 runs.

Earlier, Senuran Muthusamy produced a brilliant spell of spin bowling to claim six wickets and help South Africa bowl out Pakistan for 378 in the first session.

Resuming their innings at 313 for five, Pakistan looked set for a big total as Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan picked up where they left off, extending their sixth-wicket stand beyond 150, the highest for Pakistan against South Africa at home.

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Both batters appeared in full control before Muthusamy turned the tide. He first broke the partnership by dismissing Rizwan for a hard-fought 75 off 140 deliveries, which included two fours and two sixes.

The left-arm spinner struck again almost immediately, removing Noman Ali and Sajid Khan for ducks to complete a well-deserved five-for.

Senuran Muthusamy continued to wreak havoc, bowling Shaheen Afridi for seven to register his sixth wicket, leaving Pakistan nine down.

The innings finally ended at 378 when off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen dismissed Salman Ali Agha for a composed 93 off 145 balls, an innings decorated with five fours and three sixes.

Muthusamy finished with superb figures of 6-117 in 32 overs, while Subrayen chipped in with two wickets. Kagiso Rabada and Simon Harmer claimed one apiece.

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LAHORE: Pakistan opening batter Imam-ul-Haq opened up about the missing ingredient in his batting after marking his return to the Test side with a composed knock against South Africa here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Imam made 93 from 153 balls and missed out on his fourth hundred in the format, ending his two-year absence in style.

The southpaw built a monumental 161* run stand with skipper Shan Masood after Abdullah Shafique fell on the third ball of the match.

His innings was laced with seven fours and a six. The 29-year-old was eventually removed before tea by Senuran Muthusamy.

After the opening day, Imam expressed disappointment at missing out on his ton while reflecting on his partnership with Shan Masood.

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“I’m disappointed to have missed the century, but that’s part of the game,” he said.

There’s no scripted plan in cricket. In the first 8-10 overs, I took my time, but when the spinners came in, the roles reversed — Shan became more aggressive and I settled in. We didn’t plan it that way, but our partnership helped us reach a good total in the end,” he added.

He praised South Africa for fighting back following a lean opening session. The Proteas at one stage reduce the home side from 199-2 to 199-5. However, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan’s unbroken stand finished the day on a strong note.

Regarding his comeback, the opener emphasized his domestic form and said that he is not worried about his place in the team.

“Our position is good overall. South Africa made a strong fightback. Rizwan and Agha had a fantastic partnership. I always try to perform in a way that contributes to the team’s victory. Being in and out of the team is part of the game — I don’t fear it,” he explained.

He also highlighted the missing element in his batting, emphasizing the importance of big scores to attract more attention.

“I felt there was a missing element in my batting — whether in one-day cricket, four-day cricket, or any format. So I’ve worked on how to play match-winning innings for Pakistan.”

“Sometimes small things get overlooked; like today, if I had scored 93 or 150, people see it differently and the performance gets highlighted more. We are working on that process, and it will continue,” he concluded.

READ: Babar Azam achieves major milestone in South Africa Test

LAHORE: Pakistan top-order batter Babar Azam achieved a major World Test Championship (WTC) milestone in the ongoing first Test against South Africa here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Coming into this Test, Babar required two runs to become the first Asian batter to score 3,000 runs in the ICC WTC.

The batting maestro reached the landmark with an elegant boundary on the fourth ball of the 48th over. With this, he became Pakistan’s first and overall eighth player to score 3000 runs in the Test championship.

Most runs in ICC World Test Championship

JE Root (ENG) 69 matches 6080 runs

SPD Smith (AUS) 55 matches 4278 runs

M Labuschagne (AUS) 53 matches 4225 runs

BA Stokes (ENG) 57 matches 3616 runs

TM Head (AUS) 52 matches 3300 runs

UT Khawaja (AUS) 43 matches 3288 runs

Z Crawley (ENG) 52 matches 3041 runs

Babar Azam (PAK) 37* matches 3021 runs

However, despite a promising start, he was trapped lbw by Prenelan Subrayen on the score of 23. His 48-ball knock featured five fours.

Overall, Babar Azam has registered 18 half-centuries and eight tons in the 37 WTC matches played so far.

Most runs by Asian batters in ICC World Test Championship

Babar Azam – 3021
Shubman Gill – 2826
Rishabh Pant – 2731
Rohit Sharma – 2716
Dimuth Karunaratne – 2642
Virat Kohli – 2617

Notably, India’s Test captain Shubman Gill trails behind with 2826 runs in 39 matches so far. Gill has scored 10 tons and eight 50s in the cycle, and is averaging at 43.47.

His compatriot Rishab Pant is third in the list with 2731 runs to his name at an average of 43.34 in 38 matches. He scored six centuries and 16 half-centuries.

READ: Namibia stun South Africa to seal historic T20I win

LAHORE: Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha’s resilient stand led a strong fight back from Pakistan in the final session on day one of the first Test against South Africa here at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Rizwan and Salman forged an unbroken 114-run stand for the sixth wicket, which helped the home side finish strong at 313-5.

Salman made 52* from 83 balls with the aid of two fours and a six, while Rizwan scored 62 from 107 deliveries, including two fours and two sixes.

The duo came in when Pakistan were in trouble at 199-5 just after the tea. The pair took the responsibility on their shoulders and lifted the team out of the trouble.

Following the tea, Pakistan lost one more wicket in the form of Babar Azam, who was trapped lbw for 23. Before the break, Pakistan were cruising; however, the home side slumped from 199-2 to 199-5.

South Africa left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy struck twice in two balls at the stroke of tea to wrest back control after a gritty stand between Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq, which drove Pakistan’s innings.

Muthusamy removed well-set Imam-ul-Haq and newcomer Saud Shakeel to lift the Proteas. At tea, Babar Azam remained unbeaten on 23 from 48 balls with the aid of four boundaries.

Saud was caught and bowled for a golden duck as Senuran Muthusamy took an easy catch on his follow-through. Meanwhile, Imam-ul-Haq was caught on the fifth ball of the 56th over.

The left-hander played a composed knock of 93 runs from 153 balls, striking seven fours and a six.

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After the opening session, Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq added 56 runs to take Pakistan from 107 to 163.

Prenelan Subrayen provided the visitors a much-needed breakthrough, trapping Pakistan skipper for 76 from 147 balls, laced with nine fours and a six.

Earlier, Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Shan Masood steadied Pakistan’s innings with a century stand against South Africa at the stroke of lunch.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan lost their opener, Abdullah Shafique, as Kagiso Rabada trapped him on the third ball of the opening over. He could only score two from three balls.

However, after early wickets, Shan and Imam kept the Protea bowlers at bay and forged a 105* run partnership which steadied their innings.

Imam, who returned to the format after a two-year gap, struck his 10th half-century with the aid of five boundaries, whereas Shan has four boundaries and a six to his name.

For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada remained the sole taker in his seven overs.

Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan.

South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Sen Muthusamy, Prenelan Subrayen, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer.

READ: WATCH: Shadab Khan returns to action after injury layoff

WINDHOEK: Ruben Trumpelmann’s three-wicket haul, followed by an ice-cool finish from Zane Green, helped Namibia edge South Africa in a last-ball thriller to seal a memorable win in a one-off T20I here at the Namibia Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Set a mere 135-run target, Namibia hit the winning runs on the last ball of the match, losing six wickets in the process. The thrilling victory marked Namibia’s first against South Africa in their maiden meeting.

Namibia lost their openers Jan Frylinck and Louren Steenkamp in the first four overs. Frylinck made seven from five, whereas Steenkamp scored 13 from 19 balls.

Despite early wickets, the home side kept chipping away with runs at a decent rate. South Africa got their third wicket after the power play in the form of Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton.

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The Proteas kept taking wickets at regular intervals, with the game evenly poised after 16.3 overs as the scorecard read 101-6 in 16.3 overs.

However, the 37* run partnership between Zane Green and Ruben Trumpelmann turned the game on its head.

With 11 required off the last over, Green struck six and four on the last ball, which completed Namibia’s fourth T20I win against a full member nation.

For South Africa, Nandre Burger and Andile Simelane picked up two wickets.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, South Africa could only muster 134-8 in 20 overs.

Jason Smith top-scored for the visitors with 31 from 30 balls with the aid of two fours. Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock, returning to international cricket after taking his retirement back, managed to score just one run.

For Namibia, Ruben Trumpelmann remained the standout bowler, picking up three wickets.

Playing XIs

LAHORE: Pakistan Test skipper Shan Masood has unveiled the key to his team’s success in the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, which begins tomorrow here at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Speaking at the pre-series press conference, Shan emphasized a result-oriented approach and revealed Pakistan’s mantra for winning the Test series.

“We don’t want flat tracks where matches end in draws. “Sometimes you sacrifice runs to create situations where 20 wickets are possible,” he told reporters.

While speaking on Babar Azam and his own performance, he highlighted small but vital contributions with the bat.

“In such conditions, even a fifty can be a match-defining contribution. Performance should be judged in context — it’s about winning moments, not averages,” he said.

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Shan also praised World Test Champions South Africa, calling them a world-class side.

“To play in our home conditions against them is a great opportunity for us. Any challenge in the Test championship is always going to test you, but for us, it allows us to measure ourselves against the best team in the world, and hopefully, we can put in a good performance, and we will know that we are right up there, and we are right up in the rankings,” he remarked.

He also mentioned a strong start in the new WTC cycle, stating that they want to fully capitalize on the home advantage, citing the performances of winning teams at their home.

“The idea is to use our home advantage wisely. It is very important, and I think, if you look at the teams that have played the final and won the championship, they have done well in their home conditions,” he said.

“For us, it is about finding that improvement at home, and it is very important to start off well, ” he concluded.

READ: Aiden Markram sets sights on Babar Azam’s prized wicket

LAHORE: South Africa stand-in skipper Aiden Markram has heaped high praise on Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam, admitting that they will be targeting his key wicket in the series.

South Africa’s stand-in skipper Aiden Markram has lavished praise on Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam, admitting that his will be one of the key wickets they’ll be targeting in the series.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Markram shed light on the team’s preparations and Pakistan’s spin challenge, including Babar’s wicket.

“He needs no introduction. Babar’s wicket will be a big one for us, and one of the bowlers will try to get him and work out,” he remarked.

Markram expressed his excitement about the upcoming spin challenge, stating that despite not being heavily exposed to conditions, they are ready to take on the hosts.

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“Naturally, we’re looking forward to the challenges Pakistan will pose in terms of spin-friendly tracks, as we assume.”

“As a team not heavily exposed to these conditions, it’s going to be exciting and a great opportunity for us to get things right here. So we’re putting a lot of focus into that, and ultimately we want to string together five good days of cricket in the first Test,” he continued.

The 31-year-old mentioned that the England series against Pakistan last year and admitted that Pakistan will fully capitalize on home advantage.

“We expect the conditions to spin — we saw how things turned in the England series. Pakistan will obviously try to win, which is completely fair, and we look forward to that challenge.

We’ll have another look at the wicket today and hopefully get a clearer picture before finalising everything for tomorrow,” Markram remarked.

World Test Champions South Africa will be without their regular captain, Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out of the tour due to an injury. However, Aiden Markram lamented his absence and aimed to give their best in challenging circumstances.

“Of course, we’ll miss Temba a lot — he’s our leader, and there’s no need to even introduce him,” he said of Bavuma.

Pakistan and South Africa will face off in the first tomorrow at the Gaddafi Stadium, marking the start of both teams’ campaign in the World Test Championship (WTC). 2025-27 cycle.

READ: WATCH: Pakistan, South Africa series trophy unveiled

LAHORE: The trophy for the forthcoming Pakistan-South Africa Test series has been unveiled here at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headquarters on Saturday.

Both captains, Shan Masood of Pakistan and South Africa’s Aiden Markram, were present at the PCB’s headquarters for the trophy unveiling ceremony.

 

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PCB released a video of both captains posing with the trophy via social media handles.

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“VGOTEL Mobile Presents @bank_alfalah Pakistan vs South Africa Test Series 2025 trophy unveiled at National Cricket Academy, Lahore. Hear from the captains ahead of the first Test,” PCB wrote on its social media handle.

The first match of the two-Test series will be played from October 12 at Gaddafi Stadium, followed by the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from October 20 to 24.

For the unversed, this will be the Proteas’ first tour of Pakistan since January 2021, when they suffered a 2-0 defeat.

Both teams bolster experienced players in their squad; however, South Africa will be without their regular skipper, Temba Bavuma. Bavuma was ruled out of the tour due to an injury, with Aiden Markram replacing him as captain.

South Africa’s Test Squad

Aiden Markram (c), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (second Test only), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, and Kyle Verreynne.

Pakistan Squad

Shan Masood (capt), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan vs South Africa fixtures

Oct 12-16: 1st Test, Lahore
Oct 20-24: 2nd Test, Rawalpindi
Oct 28: 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
Oct 31: 2nd T20I, Lahore
Nov 1: 3rd T20I, Lahore
Nov 4: 1st ODI, Faisalabad
Nov 6: 2nd ODI, Faisalabad
Nov 8: 3rd OD, Faisalabad

READ: National cricketers undergo intense training ahead of South Africa series

LAHORE: Pakistan squad for the two-match Test series against South Africa underwent a three-hour training session here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Pakistan cricketers sharpened their fielding, batting, and bowling skills with a three-hour session under the supervision of coaches.

The first Test match between Pakistan and South Africa will commence on October 12, with the series marking the start of the World Test Championship (WTC) for both teams.

South Africa will defend the WTC title after defeating Australia in June 2025.

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The second match of the series will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 20 to 24 October. This will be the Proteas’ first tour of Pakistan since January 2021, when they faced a 2-0 defeat.

Shan Masood will continue to captain Pakistan with an experienced batting order shaping the lineup of the home team, while the visitors will be without their regular captain, Temba Bavuma, who was ruled out due to an injury.

Pakistan’s interim red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood has backed the home side, hinting that the pitches will not be as rank turners as they were during England’s visit to Pakistan last year.

However, the Proteas have come with ample spin resources in their arsenal to challenge Pakistan on spin-friendly tracks.

South Africa’s Test Squad

Aiden Markram (c), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Zubayr Hamza, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj (second Test only), Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, and Kyle Verreynne.

Pakistan Squad

Shan Masood (capt), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan vs South Africa fixtures

Oct 12-16: 1st Test, Lahore
Oct 20-24: 2nd Test, Rawalpindi
Oct 28: 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
Oct 31: 2nd T20I, Lahore
Nov 1: 3rd T20I, Lahore
Nov 4: 1st ODI, Faisalabad
Nov 6: 2nd ODI, Faisalabad
Nov 8: 3rd OD, Faisalabad

READ: Jaiswal’s 173* powers India to 318 against listless West Indies

VISAKHAPATNAM: India were in sight of their third consecutive win until Nadine de Klerk’s late onslaught in the final overs helped South Africa edge past the hosts in a close finish here on Thursday.

Set 252 in the 10th fixture of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, South Africa sealed victory in the second last over, losing seven wickets in the process.

The Proteas had a poor start as they lost opener Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus departed in the first five overs.

Following the early hiccup, Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt added 39 for the third wicket. Kapp scored 20 from 25 balls.

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However, Kapp’s dismissal sparked a mini-collapse and left South Africa reeling 81-5 in 19.4 overs.

Yet, skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who made 70 from 111 balls with the help of eight fours, held South Africa’s innings together with a string of partnerships.

But it was Nadine de Klerk’s 84 from 54 balls, striking five sixes and eight fours, which took them over the line.

For India, Sneh Rana and Kranti Gaud picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, after being put into bat, India were bowled out for 251 in 49.5 overs, thanks to Richa Ghosh’s rescuing act.

She made 94 from just 77 balls, studded with 11 fours and four sixes. India were in deep trouble at 102-6 in 26 overs when Gosh arrived.

For South Africa, Chloe Tryon remained the standout bowler, picking up three wickets.

READ: Solano proud of Pakistan’s fighting display against Afghanistan