Pakistan Ends the Proteas' 10-match Victory Run.
The left-arm pacer secured a quartet of wickets in the final innings following going wicketless in the initial innings.
First Test, Lahore (the fourth day)
Pakistan 378 (Imam-ul-Haq 93, Salman Agha 93; Senuran Muthusamy 6-117) & 167 (Babar Azam 42; the spinner 5-57)
The visitors 269 (Tony de Zorzi 104; Noman 6-112) & 183 (Dewald Brevis 54; Shaheen Afridi 4-33, Noman 4-79)
The hosts secured a 93-run victory
Pakistan brought an end to world champions the Proteas' unbeaten run by achieving a 93-run win in an exciting and hard-fought first Test in Lahore.
The Proteas, who had a 10-match unbeaten run in Test cricket culminated in victory over the Aussies in the World Test Championship final in the month of June, were dismissed for 183 chasing 277.
Starting the day on 51 for two, they saw the dismissal of first-innings centurion De Zorzi lbw to pace bowler Afridi to the third ball of the day to shift the tightly balanced chase in the home team's favor.
Slow left-armer Noman, who claimed 10-191 in the game, removed Tristan Stubbs for 2 and bowled Brevis, who offered some resistance with a rapid 54.
Right-arm spinner Sajid Khan also took advantage of significant spin to end opener Rickelton's innings - he faced 145 balls for 45 runs - and Afridi came back in the post-lunch session to dismiss the lower order with a fine display of reverse-swing bowling.
He trapped Verreynne leg before for 19 and bowled Subrayen and Rabada to secure the victory.
It was both sides' first match of the 2025-2027 Test championship cycle and propels the hosts directly into the number two spot behind leaders Australia.
Their victory was built around contributions of 93 by opening batsman Imam and, importantly, all-rounder Agha which lifted them to three hundred and seventy-eight.
From there slow bowlers Noman Ali and Sajid Khan utilized helpful home pitches, as they had in their series victory over England the previous year, to sustain their advantage.
The second and last match starts on 20 October.
