LAHORE: Noman Ali’s third 10-wicket haul in a Test match and Shaheen Shah Afridi four-fer handed Pakistan a 93-run victory over ICC World Test Championship winners South Africa in the first of the two Tests, with a day to spare at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Noman followed up his first-innings figures of 35-3-112-6 with 28-4-79-4 for match figures of 63-7-191-10, as South Africa – resuming this morning at 51 for two in pursuit of a 277-run victory target – were bowled out for 183 in the post-lunch session.

Shaheen Shah Afridi picked up the wicket of Tony de Zorzi in the first over of the fourth day and later dismissed Kyle Verreynne (19), Prenelan Subrayen (8) and Kagiso Rabada (0) in a fiery post-lunch spell to finish with four for 33 in 8.5 overs.

Off-spinner Sajid Khan, Noman’s long-time partner in spin on home surfaces, claimed two for 38 after taking three for 98 in the first innings.

Noman’s match figures of 10 for 191 followed his 11 for 147 in the second Test against England 12 months ago in Multan and 10 for 121 against the West Indies, also in Multan, earlier this year. Noman’s other notable match figures include 9 for 130 in the third Test against England in Rawalpindi in 2024, 7 for 70 in the second Test against Sri Lanka in 2023, and 7 for 73 on debut against South Africa in Karachi in 2021.

The 39-year-old now has 93 wickets in 20 Tests. Iqbal Qasim, with 171 wickets in 50 Tests from 1976 to 1988, remains Pakistan’s most successful left-arm spinner to date.

After Shaheen provided the ideal start to the fourth day by trapping de Zorzi in front, Noman – who had claimed both South African wickets to fall on the third day – removed Tristan Stubbs (2) and Dewald Brevis (52).

By dismissing Brevis, Noman broke a 78-run fourth-wicket partnership between Brevis (52 off 52 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes) and overnight batter Ryan Rickelton, who fell to Sajid Khan shortly before lunch after a cautious 45 off 145 balls with four boundaries.

Sajid’s other wicket was Senuran Muthusamy (6).

While Pakistan were clear in their strategy of attacking South Africa through their world-class spin duo, South Africa’s approach was puzzling. Instead of counter-attacking to force the bowlers to alter their lengths and lines, they opted to survive — contrasting innings from Brevis and Rickelton were cases in point.

Despite the comfortable victory, Pakistan will reflect on their second-innings collapse, when they lost their last six wickets for just 17 runs. However, the batting unit will take heart from Babar Azam’s return to form with a fluent 72-ball 42. They will hope that the most gifted and technically sound Pakistan batter of his generation builds on this start to deliver a big score in Rawalpindi.

The second Test begins in Rawalpindi on Monday.

Scores in brief (day 4 of 5):

Pakistan 378 all-out, 110.4 overs (Salman Ali Agha 93, Imam-ul-Haq 93, Shan Masood 76, Mohammad Rizwan 75, Babar Azam 23; Senuran Muthusamy 6-117, Prenelan Subrayen 2-78) and 167 all-out (Babar Azam 43, Abdullah Shafique 42, Saud Shakeel 38; Senuran Muthusamy 5-57; Simon Harmer 4-51)

South Africa 269 all-out, 84 overs (Tony de Zorzi 104, Ryan Rickelton 71, Aiden Markram 20; Noman Ali 6-112, Sajid Khan 3-98) and 183 all-out (Dewald Brevis 54, Ryan Rickelton 45, Tony de Zorzi 16; Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-33, Noman Ali 4-79, Sajid Khan 2-38)

Result – Pakistan won by 93 runs

Player of the match – Noman Ali (Pakistan)

Second Test – 20-24 October, Rawalpindi