Lahore, October 14, 2025 – Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Noman Ali etched his name into cricketing lore on the third day of the first Test against South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium, claiming a match-defining 6-112 to bowl out the visitors for 269 and secure a commanding 109-run first-innings lead. This was Noman’s ninth five-wicket haul in Tests—and his sixth six-for in the World Test Championship (WTC)—making him the first bowler globally to achieve that feat and surpassing Iqbal Qasim’s record for the most such hauls by a Pakistani left-arm spinner.
Resuming at 216/6, South Africa crumbled, losing their last four wickets for just 53 runs before lunch. Noman dismantled the middle order, dismissing key batter Tony de Zorzi (104) with a flighted delivery that induced an edge to Rizwan, before cleaning up the tail including Senuran Muthusamy (11) via Sajid Khan’s support (3-98). Earlier, Pakistan’s 378—fueled by Imam-ul-Haq (93), Salman Ali Agha (93), Shan Masood (76), and Mohammad Rizwan (75)—was boosted by Muthusamy’s 6-117, but Noman’s riposte flipped momentum on a turning pitch.
At 39, Noman’s resurgence—36 wickets in his last four Tests at 15.21 average—has him leading Pakistan spinners in home Tests with 66 wickets at 22.60, eclipsing Qasim’s 111 at 25.15. Fans hailed him as a “spin wizard,” with ex-captain Azhar Ali tweeting: “Noman’s class shines—record-breaker and match-winner.” As Pakistan eyes victory in the 2025-27 WTC cycle, Noman’s haul signals a red-ball revival.
