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)
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Updated 13 October 2025
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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.

 


Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization

Updated 09 December 2025
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Pakistan says $50 million meat export deal with Tajikistan nearing finalization

  • Islamabad expects to finalize agreement soon after Dushanbe signals demand for 100,000 tons
  • Pakistan is seeking to expand agricultural trade beyond rice, citrus and mango exports

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan has expressed interest in importing 100,000 tons of Pakistani meat worth more than $50 million, with both governments expected to finalize a supply agreement soon, Pakistan’s food security ministry said on Tuesday.

Pakistan is trying to grow agriculture-based exports as it seeks regional markets for livestock and food commodities, while Tajikistan, a landlocked Central Asian state, has been expanding food imports to support domestic demand. Pakistan currently exports rice, citrus and mangoes to Dushanbe, though volumes remain small compared to national production, according to official figures.

The development came during a meeting in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Ambassador of Tajikistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, where agricultural trade, livestock supply and food-security cooperation were discussed.

“Tajikistan intends to purchase 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan, an import valued at over USD 50 million,” the ambassador said, according to the ministry’s statement, assuring full facilitation and that Islamabad was prepared to meet the demand.

The statement said the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in meat and livestock, fresh fruit, vegetables, staple crops, agricultural research, pest management and standards compliance. Pakistan also proposed strengthening coordination on phytosanitary rules and establishing pest-free production zones to support long-term exports.

Pakistan and Tajikistan have long maintained political ties but bilateral food trade remains below potential: Pakistan produces 1.8 million tons of mangoes annually but exported just 0.7 metric tons to Tajikistan in 2024, while rice exports amounted to only 240 metric tons in 2022 out of national output of 9.3 million tons. Pakistan imports mainly ginned cotton from Tajikistan.