Pakistan have defeated South Africa by seven wickets in the first Test of the series in Karachi. Chasing a small target of 87 runs, Pakistan were jolted early by Anrich Nortje who took the wickets of both openers Imran Butt and Abid Ali, but Babar Azam and Azhar Ali steadied the ship.
Fawad Alam was adjudged Man of the Match for his splendid 109 in the first innings that guided Pakistan towards the position of ascendancy and fittingly he hit the winning runs on the fourth day of the Test.
Earlier in the day, South Africa were off to a horrible start with the nightwatchman Keshav Maharaj and captain Quinton de Kock going fairly early in the first session.
Left-arm spinner George Linde provided a bit of resistance to the batting line up as he and Temva Bavuma resurrected the innings with a 42 run partnership. Once, Linde was dismissed was left-arm spinner Nauman Ali, the end was nigh for the visitors as the 32-year-old ran riots against the lower order batsmen.
Nauman Ali finished with a figure of 55/5 followed by a four-wicket haul by leg spinner Yasir Shah as the Proteas could not capitalise on the strong platform laid out by the top order batsmen and folded out at 245 in the second innings.
The second and the final Test of the series will be played in Rawalpindi starting February 04.
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