Noman Ali dents South Africa as they chase 277

Spinner Noman Ali struck twice to keep Pakistan alive in the first Test as South Africa chase 277 in Lahore on Tuesday.

At stumps, South Africa were 51-2 with Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi on the crease at 29 and 16, respectively.

Chasing 277, Noman opened the bowling for the hosts alongside Hasan Ali. Noman got an immediate success when he bowled captain Aiden Markram (3).

And a couple of overs later, he got the batter of Wiaan Mulder, who went back to the hut without troubling the scorers.

Both Rickelton and de Zorzi were dropped off Noman’s bowling, as they survived the day without losing further wickets.

Pakistan are eight wickets away from ending South Africa's 10-match winning streak in Test cricket after asking them to complete the highest successful chase in Lahore and second-highest in Pakistan.

Muthusamy rock Pakistan

In a match that has played to script, Pakistan won the toss, batted first, took a 109-run innings lead and scored quickly in their second go to leave South Africa in a battle for survival. Spinners have been the key protagonists, led by Senuran Muthusamy who finished with career-best match figures of 11 for 174, including a second five-for. Muthusamy's haul is the fourth-best by a South African spinner but that is unlikely to be enough to help them win the game.

Muthusamy finished with 5-57 to add to his 6-117 in the first innings while fellow spinner Simon Harmer took 4-51 as Pakistan lost their last six wickets for 17 runs.

The hosts were fairly well placed at 150-4 but Saud Shakeel holed out for 38 off Muthusamy to trigger a collapse in the last over before tea.

Harmer bowled Mohammad Rizwan for 14 before Muthusamy ran riot.

He dismissed Salman Agha for four, Noman Ali for 11 and Shaheen Shah Afridi for nought to finish with match figures of 11-174, taking four wickets off 21 balls.

Harmer ended Pakistan's sloppy batting display by removing Sajid Khan for one.

Earlier, South Africa were dismissed for 269 an hour before lunch, conceding a lead of 109 after Pakistan's first-innings 378.

Pakistan spinner Noman Ali took 6-112 for his ninth haul of five wickets or more in Tests.

With the Gaddafi Stadium taking big turn, South Africa tossed Harmer the new ball in Pakistan's second innings.

The 36-year-old had Imam-ul-Haq stumped by wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne for nought before trapping captain Shan Masood lbw for seven.

Muthusamy then had Abdullah Shafique for 41 and pacer Kagiso Rabada trapped Babar Azam leg-before for 42.

Azam has now failed to score a hundred in 28 Test innings dating back to December 2022.

Earlier, South Africa's Tony de Zorzi resumed on 81 at the start of the day and carried the fight to Pakistan, completing his second Test century with a six and two singles off Noman.

The left-hander finally holed out for 104 to long-on off Noman, where Shaheen Shah Afridi took a low catch, ending a 208-minute innings containing 10 fours and two sixes.

Noman, who bowled a probing 35 overs, also removed Prenelan Subrayen for four during the session.

Fellow spinner Sajid Khan took the first wicket of the day when he had Muthusamy caught by Salman Agha for 11.

He then wrapped up the innings when he bowled Rabada for nought to finish with 3-98 off 33 overs.