Pakistan ended South Africa’s record 10-match Test winning streak with a commanding 93-run victory at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Defending a challenging target of 277, Pakistan’s spin bowlers laid the groundwork before Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to clean up the tail and secure a historic result.
No team has ever chased more than 276 at this venue, and that record remained intact as South Africa’s resistance gradually faded across the final day. Although the visitors showed signs of a fightback, particularly through Dewald Brevis’ aggressive fifty, they were consistently pegged back by a disciplined Pakistan bowling attack on a deteriorating surface.
The morning session brought a lively burst of cricket. Brevis, playing just his third Test, launched a spirited counterattack with a run-a-ball 54, including six of South Africa’s ten boundaries and both sixes in the innings. He appeared poised for something spectacular, even launching a no-look six over long-on to bring up his half-century. But the pitch was turning, and Noman Ali struck with a delivery that beat Brevis’ defence and rattled the stumps.
That wicket marked Noman’s 10th of the match, earning him a third career ten-wicket haul in Tests. Earlier, he had also dismissed Tristan Stubbs, caught at slip while attempting a reverse sweep. Noman’s spin partner Sajid Khan claimed the key wicket of Ryan Rickelton, who had been resisting with 45 off 145 balls. At lunch, South Africa had lost four wickets in the session and still required 139 runs with only four wickets in hand.
After the interval, Pakistan maintained control, despite a brief lull in intensity. Kyle Verreynne and Simon Harmer added some runs without ever threatening to chase the target. South Africa did achieve a minor milestone, becoming the first team to outscore Pakistan’s third-innings total on these spin-friendly pitches, but the writing was already on the wall.
Afridi returned to the attack and quickly ended any remaining hope. Coming around the wicket with the old ball, he found reverse swing to trap Verreynne plumb in front. There was no appeal from Afridi, who was already walking back in celebration before the umpire’s finger went up.
Sensing the moment, Afridi cleaned up the final two wickets with trademark swinging yorkers. Prenelan Subrayen and Kagiso Rabada had no answer, as Pakistan wrapped up the win inside the third session.
The match had effectively tilted in Pakistan’s favour on the first day, when they posted a commanding total in the opening two sessions. South Africa fought hard over four days to claw back the deficit but were ultimately left with too much to do on a pitch offering increasing assistance to the spinners.
Despite their resilience, the world champions fell short, as Pakistan reaped the rewards of their strategy to produce turning tracks at home. The result not only ends South Africa’s unbeaten streak, but also reaffirms Pakistan’s ability to dominate in familiar conditions.
