Pakistan tightened their grip on the first Test against South Africa as left-arm spinner Noman Ali produced a brilliant spell to leave the visitors reeling at 216 for 6 by stumps on Day 2 at the Gaddafi Stadium.
After Pakistan’s strong first-innings total of 378 all out, the hosts struck back hard with the ball, led by Noman Ali’s crafty spin that tore through South Africa’s middle order. The 37-year-old spinner finished the day with 4 wickets for 85 runs, exploiting the turning pitch to perfection and putting Pakistan in a dominant position with a 162-run lead.
Tony de Zorzi was the lone bright spot for South Africa, standing firm with a gritty 81 not out off 134 balls. His resistance prevented a complete collapse as wickets continued to tumble at the other end. Senuran Muthusamy (6 *) joined him late in the day, hoping to stretch the innings further when play resumes tomorrow.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting lineup laid a strong foundation with key contributions from Imam-ul-Haq and Agha Salman, both scoring 93 runs each, supported by a composed effort from the lower order to take the total close to 380.
South Africa started their reply with composure, but once the ball began to grip, Noman Ali and the rest of the spin attack took charge. His sharp turn and bounce dismantled the Proteas’ middle order, while Pakistan’s fielders backed him up with sharp catches.
With the visitors still trailing by a significant margin, Pakistan now look poised to build a commanding lead and push for victory over the next three days. The focus will be on whether De Zorzi can find support from the tail to narrow the deficit, or if Pakistan’s spinners will wrap up the innings early on Day 3.
