Pakistan vs South Africa 2021, 1st Test: Day 1 - Pakistan Bowlers Dominate But Hosts Still Finish Opening Day In Big Trouble With Batting Collapse
AP Photo/Anjum Naveed

While Tuesday (26th January) was the historic day in Pakistan as South Africa played their first international match in Pakistan since October 2007, it was a great day for both the bowling sides.

The visitors South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first. However, they were bowled out for 220 runs. But Pakistan finished the day in big trouble as they were struggling on 33/4.

Pakistan vs South Africa 2021, 1st Test: Day 1 – Pakistan lost four wickets, including both their openers

On his international cricket return, the right-arm fast bowler Kagiso Rabada shined in the late moment of the day. He dismissed both the Pakistan openers very quickly in hosts’ first innings as Abid Ali (4) was bowled in the 5th over of that innings and debutant Imran Butt (9) lost his wicket in the seventh over of that innings.

Kagiso Rabada, Pakistan, South Africa, Pakistan vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 1
Kagiso Rabada (Image Credit: Twitter)

The left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj came to bowl his first over in the 16th over of Pakistan’s innings and he took the big wicket of the hosts’ captain Babar Azam (7) on his third ball of the match as he trapped Babar for lbw.

In the next over, Anrich Nortje broke the middle-stump of the night-watchman Shaheen Shah Afridi. At the stumps of the day, both Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam were not out on 5 runs each.

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Pakistan vs South Africa 2021, 1st Test: Day 1 – Pakistan bowlers were always in control as the visitors lost their momentums

Openers Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram made a fast start but the debutant Imran Butt’s superb catch at the slip ended Markram’s innings in the fifth over of the match. When Shaheen Shah Afridi got that wicket of Markram (13), South Africa were 30/1.

Pakistan, South Africa, Pakistan vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 1
AP Photo/Anjum Naveed

Then Elgar and Rassie van der Dussen were controlling that innings and set up the 33 runs partnership for the second wicket but a big mix-up cost later’s wicket through a run-out. Though it was a tight situation for Pakistan wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, he threw himself to the wicket and properly broke the stumps to dismiss Van der Dussen, who scored 17 runs before that unfortunate run-out dismissal.

At the lunch of the opening day, South Africa were batting on 94/2. While the opener Elgar already scored 46 runs, former skipper Faf du Plessis was not out on 14 runs.

Dean Elgar, Pakistan, South Africa, Pakistan vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 1
Dean Elgar (Image Credit: Twitter)

In the early second half, Yasir Shah took the wicket of Du Plessis (23) as he was caught behind. In the next over of that wicket, opening batsman Elgar completed his half-century in 83 balls. Around half-an-hour later, debutant left-arm spinner Nauman Ali got two wickets in his back-to-back overs as he dismissed skipper Quinton de Kock (15) and opener Elgar (58).

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Then Temba Bavuma and George Linde tried to restructure that first innings. But after their crucial 41 runs partnership, that sixth wicket partnership was broken close before the tea break as Bavuma lost his wicket through a run-out after his unsuccessful attempt for the second run.

On the eighth ball of the third session of the day, Yasir Shah bowled Keshav Maharaj for a duck.

While it was the day of his return to the international cricket after more than one-and-a-half-year, Hasan Ali struck for the first time by dismissing George Linde for 35 runs.

Anrich Nortje was the next to lose the wicket as he became Yasir Shah’s third victim without opening his account. Shaheen Shah Afridi ended that innings after dismissing Lungi Ngidi for just 8 runs. Kagiso Rabada remained not out on 21 runs.

While Yasir Shah (3/54) got three wickets, Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/49) and debutant Nauman Ali (2/38) bagged two wickets each.

Brief Scores: South Africa – 220 (Dean Elgar 58, George Linde 35; Yasir Shah 3/54)

Pakistan – 33/4 (Imran Butt 9, Babar Azam 7; Kagiso Rabada 2/8)

Latest Status (at the stumps of day 1) – Pakistan are trailing by 187 runs

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