SA take charge on Day 1, restrict Pakistan to 211 before reaching 82/3

South Africa dominated the first day of the Boxing Day Test, reaching 82 for 3 after their bowlers restricted Pakistan to 211 in the first innings in Centurion.

Pakistan started off well, as both openers saw off the new ball and added 36 crucial runs for the first wicket. This prompted Temba Bavuma to make his first change of the day, which proved effective. Debutant Corbin Bosch took the wicket of the very first ball of his Test career, taking the wicket of Pakistan’s skipper, Shan Masood, who scored 17 before being caught in the slip.

Saim Ayub, who had scored two spectacular centuries in the ODI series and was named Man of the Series, also got out in the next over, with Kyle Verreynne making no mistake behind the stumps.

Pakistan suffered a huge blow when Dane Paterson struck again, taking the big wicket of Babar Azam in the very next over, leaving Pakistan struggling at 41 for 3.

Saud Shakeel hit three boundaries off Paterson in an over, showing his intentions. However, his aggressive tactics cost him his wicket, as he was dismissed for playing a leg-side delivery from Bosch and was caught behind the stumps.

As Pakistan lost wickets in quick succession, Captain Mohammad Rizwan joined Kamran Ghulam at the crease. The two batsmen took the team to lunch without losing any further wickets.

Rizwan and Ghulam put together the largest partnership of the innings, adding 81 runs for the fifth wicket. Ghulam completed his first Test fifty off just 52 balls.

Ghulam was fortunate to be dropped on 48 in the gully, when the fielder could not hold onto a difficult chance. However, the batsman failed to capitalize and was eventually dismissed for 54, caught off Paterson.

Pakistan's captain, Rizwan, who had made 27, followed him back to the pavilion shortly after.

Aamir Jamal and Salman Ali Agha then added a quick 47 runs for the sixth wicket, with Jamal contributing 27 off 28 balls. The all-rounder hit a six off Bosch, but the South African bowler had the last laugh, dismissing Jamal off the very next ball.

Pakistan's struggles continued as Agha, who made 18 and had formed a useful partnership with Jamal, was dismissed after playing a loose shot. Paterson completed his five-wicket haul.

Bosch continued to apply pressure on the Pakistani batters and eventually ended Naseem Shah’s brief stay at the crease.

Muhammad Abbas and Khurram Shehzad helped Pakistan cross the 200-run mark, but soon after tea, the hosts wrapped up the proceedings and bundled out Pakistan for 211.

South Africa’s new bees had a dream day, as Paterson, playing in his seventh Test match, claimed five wickets, while debutant Bosch made his mark with four scalps.

As South Africa came out to bat in their first innings, Pakistan struck early when Khurram Shehzad rattled Tony de Zorzi’s stumps before having Ryan Rickelton caught behind.

After losing two quick wickets, Tristan Stubbs and Aiden Markram steadied the innings with a 42-run partnership for the third wicket. However, Mohammad Abbas, making a comeback after almost two years, trapped Stubbs plumb in front of the stumps.

Pakistan nearly claimed another wicket on the very next delivery, but the ball fell just short of Agha Salman at slip.

Markram remained resilient against the visitors’ bowling attack, finishing the day unbeaten on 47. South Africa ended at 82 for 3, trailing by 129 runs in the first innings.

South Africa won the toss

Earliers, South Africa have won the toss and elected to bowl first in the opening Test of the two-match series against Pakistan at SuperSport Park, Centurion.

Pakistan has included Babar Azam, who is just three runs short of completing 4,000 runs in Test cricket, in the first Test. Babar has scored 3,997 runs in 55 Test matches at an average of 54.46, with nine centuries.

To make room for the star batter, out-of-form opener Abdullah Shafique, who was dismissed for a duck in all three ODIs against South Africa, has been dropped from the Test squad and, as a result, captain Shan Masood will open the innings alongside Saim Ayub.

The Test squad has also seen return of the experienced fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played for Pakistan against West Indies in August 2021. He has forced his way back in the squad with 31 scalps in five Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches this season.

Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, who was ruled out of the three-match home Test series against England due to injury has returned to the squad too.

Aqib Javed is the interim head coach of Pakistan men's team and this will be his first red-ball series after taking the charge in the white-ball series against Zimbabwe last month.

Head to head

Pakistan and South Africa have played each other in 12 Test series since 1995, out of which seven have been won by South Africa while Pakistan emerged victorious in two, while three ended-up as draws.

In the recent most Test series between the two nations, Pakistan beat South Africa 2-0 at home in Jan-Feb 2021.

PLAYING XIs

Pakistan: Shan Masood (C), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas.

South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (C), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson, and Corbin Bosch.