PAK vs SA, 1st Test: Noman Ali restricts South Africa to 216-6 at stumps; Tony de Zorzi remains undefeated 81 | Cricket News

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Pakistan’s Noman Ali, second right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of South Africa’s Kyle Verreynne, right, during the second day of the first cricket test match (AP Photo/KM Chaudary)

Noman Ali’s impressive spin bowling performance secured four wickets, restricting South Africa to 216-6 at stumps on the second day of the first Test in Lahore. Tony de Zorzi remained undefeated after half a century of fighting.The Gaddafi Stadium pitch favored spin bowling, with all 11 wickets of the day falling to the spinners. South African left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy made a career-best score of 6-117, dismissing Pakistan for 378. At the end of the match, Zorzi stood firm with 81 runs, not out alongside Muthusamy on six, with South Africa trailing by 162 runs in their first innings.Zorzi’s resilient innings included nine boundaries and a six, off Noman Ali, who finished with figures of 4-85. South Africa’s innings started promisingly at 45-0 before Noman removed captain Aiden Markram for 20 and Wiaan Mulder for 17, both caught by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.Ryan Rickelton and Zorzi formed a strong 94-run partnership for the third wicket, with Rickelton scoring 71 runs, including two sixes and nine boundaries.Part-time spinner Salman Agha broke the partnership when Babar Azam caught Rickelton at slips.Noman returned to dismiss Tristan Stubbs for eight and Kyle Verreynne for two, while Sajid Khan removed Dewald Brevis for a golden duck.Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s innings ended at 378 after resuming at 313-5, losing their last five wickets for just 16 runs.Salman Agha’s 93 innings, with five fours and three sixes, ended when Prenelan Subrayen caught him in the deep. Subrayen finished with 2-78.Agha and Rizwan extended their sixth-wicket partnership to 163 before Muthusamy’s devastating spell claimed three wickets in the 12th over.Rizwan’s innings of 75, which included two fours and two sixes, ended when Verreynne caught him off Muthusamy’s spinning delivery.Noman Ali and Sajid Khan fell in quick succession, both without scoring. Shaheen Shah Afridi played seven matches, giving Muthusamy his sixth wicket.This performance surpassed Muthusamy’s previous Test best of 4-45 against Bangladesh in Chattogram last year.