South Africa Ends Day 1 on 82/3 with Markram’s 47 Runs
South Africa concluded Day 1 of the first Test against Pakistan at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on 82/3, with Aiden Markram leading the way with 47 runs off 67 balls. Pakistan’s Khurram Shahzad made early breakthroughs, dismissing both openers, Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton. However, Markram held firm, adding runs steadily with support from Tristan Stubbs and later captain Temba Bavuma, who remained unbeaten on 4 off 23 balls.
Earlier, South Africa’s pacers dominated Pakistan’s batting lineup, dismissing the visitors for 211 in their first innings. Dane Paterson took five wickets, Corbin Bosch claimed four, and Marco Jansen took the final wicket, leaving Pakistan with a modest total. Pakistan’s top scorers were Kamran Ghulam, who made 54, and Khurram Shahzad, who contributed 28.
South Africa, aiming for a spot in the 2025 World Test Championship final, need to win this series to stay in contention. The Proteas decided to bowl first after winning the toss, with the Centurion pitch traditionally favoring seam movement. South Africa has selected an all-seam attack, including debutant Corbin Bosch. Pakistan, on the other hand, has opted for a pace-heavy attack, with Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah returning to the team after lengthy absences.
