Tags: Pakistan tour of South Africa, 2024 -25,
South Africa vs Pakistan, 1st Test at Centurion, Dec 26-30, 2024,
South Africa,
Pakistan
Published on: Dec 27, 2024
Scorecard
| Commentary
| Graphs
The first day of the opening Test between Pakistan and South Africa at SuperSport Park delivered riveting cricket as both teams exchanged fierce blows. After Pakistan’s batting line-up faltered for 211, their bowlers retaliated strongly to leave the hosts at 82 for three by stumps on Thursday.
Pakistan’s Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas spearheaded the fightback, unsettling South Africa’s top order. Shahzad’s twin strikes, coupled with Abbas’s late breakthrough, ensured Pakistan remained firmly in contention despite a challenging day with the bat.
South Africa’s Dane Paterson and debutant Corbin Bosch starred with the ball earlier in the day. Paterson, thriving at the age of 35, claimed his second consecutive five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of five for 61. Bosch, making an impactful Test debut, complemented Paterson brilliantly by picking up four wickets for 63 runs.
Pakistan’s innings found brief resistance in Kamran Ghulam, whose counter-attacking 54 off 71 balls injected some life into their batting effort. Ghulam played with intent, striking boundaries to wrestle back momentum during a testing phase against the South African bowlers. However, his dismissal marked the beginning of a swift collapse, with Pakistan losing their last five wickets for just 29 runs.
When South Africa came out to bat, Pakistan’s bowlers struck early. Shahzad removed Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma in quick succession, while Abbas dismissed Aiden Markram late in the day. The Proteas’ captain, Heinrich Klaasen, remained unbeaten on 27, partnered by Rassie van der Dussen, who is on 19.
With a well-grassed pitch offering assistance to bowlers, Day 2 promises more action as Pakistan looks to capitalize on the early breakthroughs and South Africa aims to build a commanding lead.