In the bright, sunny conditions at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, it was Pakistan’s seasoned spinner Noman Ali who stole the spotlight on the second day of the opening Test against South Africa on Monday, October 1. Sporting his now-famous bright green sunglasses, Ali not only made a statement in fashion but also on the field, as his four-wicket haul drove Pakistan’s dominance over the tourists.
Pakistan’s strategy of leaning heavily on spin paid dividends once again on home soil. The duo of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan bowled well over half of the 67 overs bowled on the day, exploiting a surface that had begun to slow down and show cracks. At 39, Noman proved he still had the craft and guile to trouble even the more experienced batsmen. He struck early, removing Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, and Kyle Verreynne in quick succession, putting Pakistan firmly on top.
The spinner’s distinctive eyewear drew as much attention as his wickets. Former Pakistan cricketer Ramiz Raja couldn’t resist noting that Ali’s sunglasses resembled those worn by welders, adding a touch of humour to the proceedings and giving fans a lighter moment amidst the on-field drama.
The South African middle order, particularly the young duo of Tristan Stibbs (8) and Dewald Brevis (0), struggled to cope with Pakistan’s spin challenge. Stubbs offered a faint edge to Noman, while Brevis was dismissed for a first-ball duck, chipping an easy catch to short mid-on off Sajid Khan. Later, Noman struck again, trapping wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne plumb leg before wicket shortly before stumps, effectively denting the visitors’ momentum.
Earlier, Senuran Muthusamy bowled a sensational triple-wicket maiden over, his three perfectly pitched deliveries reducing Pakistan from 362-5 to 362-8 in a matter of minutes. Nine overs later, Salman Ali Agha, who had impressed with a 145-ball knock containing five fours and three sixes, was caught at mid-on off Muthusamy, denying the spinner a hat-trick.
Rizwan and Agha’s partnership had already surpassed Pakistan’s previous best sixth-wicket stand against South Africa-144 runs by Moin Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq in Faisalabad in 1997-before Rizwan edged a delivery from Muthusamy while attempting an off-drive. Agha eventually fell while trying to clear the field, as Prenelan Subrayen finished the innings with figures of 2-87.
With Noman Ali’s clever use of flight and spin, combined with his “welding glasses” flair, Pakistan’s spinners once again dominated the narrative, ensuring the home team maintained a strong upper hand heading into the third day of the Test.