October 13, 2025

Welcome to an electrifying Day 2 of the 1st Test between Pakistan and South Africa, where passion meets skill! Pakistan finished Day 1 at a strong 313 for 5 runs in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The star of the show? Imam-ul-Haq, who scored a dazzling 93. Alongside him, Shan Masood (76), Mohammad Rizwan (62), and Salman Agha (52) smashed solid half-centuries, lighting up the scoreboard. The innings started with a blow as Abdullah Shafique fell for a duck to the fiery Kagiso Rabada. But fear not! Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood stitched a magical 161-run partnership for the second wicket, battling the incoming South African attack like true warriors. However, the tide turned sharply when South Africa’s crafty spinners – Prenelan Subrayen, Senuran Muthusamy, and Simon Harmer – spun webs around Pakistan’s batsmen. Subrayen trapped Masood lbw, and Muthusamy struck twice in quick succession to remove Imam-ul-Haq and Saud Shakeel before tea. Soon after, Simon Harmer snared Pakistan captain Babar Azam for 23, pulling the hosts down to 199 for 5 from a commanding position. But wait! Enter the unflappable duo Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha. With the pitch offering plenty of turn and challenge, these two played like true champions. With smart sweeps, reverse sweeps and sharp running between the wickets, they built an unbeaten 114-run partnership to finish Day 1 on a confident note. Imam-ul-Haq reflected on his innings, saying, "There was no pressure, I wasn't thinking that this is my comeback Test match for Pakistan, but thought it was a normal match. The stint at county cricket didn’t help much as I struggled with conditions, but I felt welcomed as an Asian player." Although disappointed to just miss his century, he believes Pakistan is well set and aims for a total beyond 400. South Africa’s bowlers rued missed chances, having dropped Imam on 72 and Masood on 61, a costly slip in such a tight contest. Spinner Simon Harmer summed up their plan: "We aim to wrap up Pakistan’s innings quickly on Day 2, aware the surface will assist spinners later." This Test match kicks off the new World Test Championship cycle. South Africa enters as reigning champions, eager to defend the title. The spinners are the stars of this pitch, spinning their magic around 80 to 90 kph, creating nail-biting moments for the batsmen. As Day 2 unfolds, all eyes will watch whether Rizwan and Agha can turn their half-centuries into centuries and push Pakistan’s total past 450. Will Pakistan pile on runs or will South Africa’s spin attack trigger another collapse? Brace yourself for an explosive cricket battle full of twists, turns, and plenty of drama!

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Tags: Pakistan vs south africa, Test cricket, Imam-ul-haq, Mohammad rizwan, South africa spinners, World test championship,