Pakistan End Day 1 at 313/5, Rizwan and Agha Rescue Middle Order

LAHORE: Pakistan finished Day 1 at 313/5 after 90 overs in the 1st Test against South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium. Things look under Pakistan's control as of now. 

Pakistan won the toss and decided to take a chance with the bat. Kagiso Rabada struck Abdullah Shafique in the 1st over. This early wicket put pressure on Pakistan. At that moment, SA was looking confident as they can all out Pakistan batters today. But Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood managed to score big for the team. 

Imam, back in Test cricket since late 2023, looked confident on the turning Lahore pitch. He scored 59, while Masood contributed 44. Their 105-run partnership for the 2nd wicket gave Pakistan stability. 

By lunch, Pakistan were 107/1. The South African dressing room was filled with thoughts at that moment. 

Their spinners struggled in the 1st session. Imam rotated strike, punished loose balls, and kept the scoreboard moving. Masood supported well, showing patience and timing. Both batters looked confident, and so was the Pakistani crowd.

After lunch, the match shifted. South Africa struck three wickets for 36 runs before tea. Imam got out for 93, just short of a century. Masood was dismissed for 76. Saud Shakeel fell for a golden duck. 

Senuran Muthusamy picked crucial wickets. His bounce and turn was perfect and on the line. South Africa gained momentum and put Pakistan under pressure. 

Now, comes Pakistan's star batter, Babar Azam. He walked in after Masood’s wicket. This match is a remarkable match of his career where he became the 1st Asian batter to reach 3,000 WTC Runs. 

He survived a close lbw off Muthusamy after a review. Once settled, he hit a few classy boundaries and stabilized the innings. Pakistan reached tea at 199/4 after 57 overs.

The final session belonged to Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha. They added an unbeaten 114-run partnership for the 6th wicket, rescuing Pakistan after the middle-session struggle. 

Rizwan (62*) and Agha (52*) are still on the crease. Both batters played spin on merit, using sweeps and advancing down the pitch. Now, Pakistan is in a strong position in the match. It looks like they will manage to score big, but things often go unpredictable in these conditions. 

South Africa’s spinners created pressure at times. Muthusamy finished with 2/101 and Harmer with 1/75. But Rizwan and Agha’s partnership was something that Pakistan was actually looking for. 

Pakistan ended day 1 with 313/5 on the scoreboard. 

The Lahore pitch offered early bounce for pacers and turn for spinners later. Pakistani batters are tackling the conditions smartly and showing they can handle pressure. But, day 2 is going to bring more excitement to the fans. 

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