After years of absence of International cricket on Pakistan's soil, the Pakistan Cricket team on Friday defeated mighty South Africa by 7 wickets inside four days.at the National Stadium, Karachi and take 1-0 lead in the two-match series. Chasing a meagre target of 88 runs, Pakistan lost three wickets, but it still was a comfortable win for them under the new captain, Babar Azam.
In the win of Pakistan, debutant Nauman Ali, completed a five-wicket haul in the second South African innings, and also Fawad Alam scored a brilliant 109 in Pakistan's first innings. Ali and Yasir Shah shared nine wickets to dismiss South Africa for 245 in the second innings and set up the small target.
Nauman, a 34-year-old left-arm spinner making his Test debut, returned 5/35 and Shah took 4/79 to bowl out South Africa a half-hour before Lunch.
Fawad was chosen as the player of the match. He said, " Very important knock. Team was 27/4. The better we did in the first innings, the easier would've been. Pressure is a lot at the international level, especially after making a comeback after such a long time. I'm enjoying my time in the dressing room. Pitch had double (variable) bounce, double pace, there were rough patches. But the talk was about applying yourself, going with the flow and not think about what's happening off the pitch. That was my thinking - to apply myself."
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"So many things to remember this Test for. The start of the captaincy era for Babar Azam. South Africa's first game in Pakistan for close to 14 years. Nauman Ali's five-for on debut. Yasir Shah's spell yesterday and his complete schooling of Faf du Plessis. But one that stands out above the rest is Fawad Alam's hundred in the first innings. It was his knock that hauled Pakistan out of the ruins of 27/4, eventually laying the foundation for a big lead. He can't get back the time he's lost after being left out of the team for 11 years, but if life is about making the most of the chances you get, then he's certainly doing that. Got a hundred in New Zealand, and now has a first hundred at home," added Fawad.