Unbeaten half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman helped Pakistan recover to 313/5 at stumps on the first day of the opening Test against South Africa on Sunday.
Batting first, Pakistan suffered an early blow as opener Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for just two off three deliveries, trapped LBW by Kagiso Rabada in the very first over.
Skipper Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq then steadied the innings with a crucial 161-run partnership for the second wicket, easing the early pressure.
Imam, returning to Test cricket after 2023, celebrated his 10th Test fifty, while Shan reached his 12th.
The partnership was broken when Prenelan Subrayen dismissed Shan for 76 off 147 balls, which included nine fours and a six, leaving Pakistan at 163-2 in 47.3 overs.
Babar Azam walked in next and quickly found his rhythm, striking boundaries from the outset.
He also achieved a major milestone in the ICC World Test Championship, becoming the first Pakistani and eighth overall batter to surpass 3,000 runs in the tournament’s history.
Before tea, Senuran Muthusamy gave South Africa two crucial wickets, removing Imam-ul-Haq for a brilliant 93 off 153 balls, including seven boundaries and a six, and dismissing Saud Shakeel for a first-ball duck, leaving Pakistan at 199-4 in 57 overs.
After the break, Babar Azam fell for 23 off 48 balls, with Simon Harmer claiming his wicket.
In the final session of Day One, Salman Ali Agha and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan steadied Pakistan’s innings with a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Rizwan, showing composure under pressure, scored his 12th Test half-century, while Salman Ali Agha also reached a fifty, his 10th in red-ball cricket.
The duo shared a 100-plus partnership as the day ended in Pakistan’s favor, with Rizwan unbeaten on 62 and Agha on 52.
For South Africa, Senuran Muthusamy claimed two wickets, while Kagiso Rabada, Prenelan Subrayen, and Simon Harmer took one wicket each.
