Thu Dec 26 17:41:16 UTC 2024: **South Africa Stumbles on Day 1 Against Pakistan in First Test**
Centurion, South Africa – Pakistan dominated the first day of the first Test against South Africa, bowling out the hosts for a paltry 211 runs before stumps. Kamran Ghulam (54) and Aamer Jamal (28) were the top scorers for Pakistan, whose innings was punctuated by strong bowling performances from Dane Paterson (5 for 61) and Corbin Bosch (4 for 63).
South Africa’s response was shaky, ending the day at 82 for 3, trailing by 129 runs. Aiden Markram showed some fight, top-scoring with 47 runs, including several elegant boundaries, but his dismissal, along with the loss of two other wickets, left South Africa with a considerable deficit heading into day two. Mohammad Abbas (1 for 36) and Khurram Shahzad (2 for 28) were the pick of the Pakistani bowlers in the South African innings. Temba Bavuma’s contribution was minimal at just 4 runs.
The match resumes tomorrow at 8 am GMT with South Africa needing to significantly improve their batting performance to avoid a substantial first-innings deficit. Pakistan, meanwhile, will aim to capitalize on their strong start and further solidify their advantage.
First Piper 