Noman derails South Africa to 216-6 in first Pakistan Test

South Africa's Ryan Rickelton (L) celebrates after scoring half century (50 runs) during the second day of the first Test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on October 13, 2025. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 13 October 2025
Follow

Noman derails South Africa to 216-6 in first Pakistan Test

  • Ryan Rickelton, who scored a punishing 71 with two sixes and nine boundaries, and Zorzi added 94 for the third wicket
  • It was part-timer Salman Agha who broke the stand by forcing an edge from Rickelton with Babar Azam taking a smart catch

LAHORE: Spinner Noman Ali grabbed four wickets to restrict South Africa to 216-6 at the close of play on day two of the first Test in Lahore on Monday, despite a fighting half century from Tony de Zorzi.

Spinners dominated on a turning Gaddafi Stadium pitch as all the day's 11 wickets went to slow bowlers, with South African left-armer Senuran Muthusamy taking a career-best 6-117 to dismiss Pakistan for 378.

Zorzi was holding the fort at the close with 81 not out and Muthusamy on six as South Africa trail by 162 runs in the first innings.

Zorzi batted with guts, knocking nine boundaries and a six, combating Noman who claimed 4-85.

South Africa started off well with 45-0 on the board when Noman removed touring skipper Aiden Markram for 20 and Wiaan Mulder for 17 -- both caught behind by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Ryan Rickelton, who scored a punishing 71 with two sixes and nine boundaries, and Zorzi added 94 for the third wicket, taking on the spinners with some aggressive shots.

It was part-timer Salman Agha who broke the stand by forcing an edge from Rickelton with Babar Azam taking a smart low catch in the slips.

Noman returned for his third spell to get Tristan Stubbs caught behind for eight and Kyle Kyle Verreynne leg-before for two while Sajid Khan removed Dewald Brevis for a golden duck.

Earlier, it was Noman's like-for-like left-armer Muthusamy who destroyed Pakistan after they resumed on 313-5, losing their last five wickets for just 16 runs.

Agha hit five fours and three sixes in his 93 and was last man out, caught in the deep off spinner Prenelan Subrayen, who took 2-78.

Agha added 49 with Rizwan to take their sixth-wicket stand to 163 before Muthusamy ripped out the middle order with three wickets in the 12th over of the day.

Rizwan was the first to go, for 75, when he edged a sharply turning ball to wicketkeeper Verreynne after a knock containing two fours and two sixes.

Two balls later Noman went without scoring, bowled when he played down the wrong line and then Sajid Khan followed first ball, caught in the slips.

It became 378-9 when Muthusamy bowled Shaheen Shah Afridi, on seven, for his sixth wicket.

His previous Test best was 4-45 against Bangladesh in Chattogram last year.

 


EU, Pakistan sign €60 million loan agreement for clean drinking water in Karachi

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

EU, Pakistan sign €60 million loan agreement for clean drinking water in Karachi

  • Project will finance rehabilitation, construction of water treatment facilities in Karachi city, says European Investment Bank
  • As per a report in 2023, 90 percent of water samples collected from various places in city was deemed unfit for drinking

ISLAMABAD: The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Pakistan’s government on Wednesday signed a €60 million loan agreement, the first between the two sides in a decade, to support the delivery of clean drinking water in Karachi, the EU said in a statement. 

The Karachi Water Infrastructure Framework, approved in August this year by the EIB, will finance the rehabilitation and construction of water treatment facilities in Pakistan’s most populous city of Karachi to increase safe water supply and improve water security. 

The agreement was signed between the two sides at the sidelines of the 15th Pak-EU Joint Commission in Brussels, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

“Today, the @EIB signed its first loan agreement with Pakistan in a decade: a €60 million loan supporting the delivery of clean drinking water for #Karachi,” the EU said on social media platform X. 

https://x.com/eupakistan/status/2001258048132972859

Radio Pakistan said the agreement reflects Pakistan’s commitment to modernize essential urban services and promote climate-resilient infrastructure.

“The declaration demonstrates the continued momentum in Pakistan-EU cooperation and highlights shared priorities in sustainable development, public service delivery, and climate and environmental resilience,” it said. 

Karachi has a chronic clean drinking water problem. As per a Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) study conducted in 2023, 90 percent of water from samples collected from various places in the city was deemed unsafe for drinking purposes, contaminated with E. coli, coliform bacteria, and other harmful pathogens. 

The problem has forced most residents of the city to get their water through drilled motor-operated wells (known as ‘bores’), even as groundwater in the coastal city tends to be salty and unfit for human consumption.

Other options for residents include either buying unfiltered water from private water tanker operators, who fill up at a network of legal and illegal water hydrants across the city, or buying it from reverse osmosis plants that they visit to fill up bottles or have delivered to their homes.

The EU provides Pakistan about €100 million annually in grants for development and cooperation. This includes efforts to achieve green inclusive growth, increase education and employment skills, promote good governance, human rights, rule of law and ensure sustainable management of natural resources.