Noman Ali Shreds South Africa’s Ego, Ends 10-Game Win Streak

Just when you thought South Africa was an unstoppable cricket juggernaut, rolling over teams with a smug grin, they ran into a wall. A spinning, turning wall named Noman Ali. Pakistan, playing on a Lahore pitch that looked more like a dusty old rug by day four, decided to end South Africa’s glorious 10-match winning streak with a resounding 93-run victory. Ouch. That’s gotta sting.

Chasing 277 at Gaddafi Stadium was always going to be a monumental task—like trying to climb K2 in flip-flops. No team in history had ever managed it there. But hey, South Africa, with their chest puffed out from ten straight wins, probably thought, “Why not us?” Well, Pakistan’s bowlers, particularly the spin duo of Noman Ali and Sajid Khan, had a very clear answer: “Not today, sunshine.”

How Noman Ali Became South Africa’s Worst Nightmare

Let’s be honest, the final day was basically the Noman Ali show, with a little help from his friends. The day started with South Africa clinging to hope, but that hope quickly evaporated. Shaheen Shah Afridi, deciding to join the party early, trapped Tony de Zorzi for 16 before he could even blink. Then, Tristan Stubbs, in a moment of sheer panic, tried a premeditated reverse sweep off Ali and spooned it straight to Salman Agha. It was less a cricket shot and more a cry for help.

The real drama, though, was the partnership between Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton. For a moment, just a tiny moment, it looked like they might pull off the impossible. Brevis, in particular, was playing like a man possessed, smashing a career-best 54 with audacious sixes that screamed defiance. 

He was taking the fight to the spinners, refusing to be intimidated. But just as South African fans started to dream, Ali delivered a gut punch. A sharply turning delivery snuck past Brevis’s bat and shattered the stumps, and with it, South Africa’s spirit. It was a classic spinner’s dismissal—the kind that makes batters question their life choices.

Rickelton’s dogged resistance for a gritty 45 also came to an end just before lunch, leaving the tourists scrambling at 137-6. The writing wasn’t just on the wall; it was carved in stone.

The Inevitable Collapse

After lunch, it was just a matter of when, not if. Senuran Muthuswamy was trapped LBW, and South Africa found themselves teetering at 144 for 7. The middle and lower order tried to hang on, but it was like trying to patch the Titanic with duct tape. Kyle Verreynne and Simon Harmer dug in, but they lacked any real intent to chase the target. It felt more like they were just delaying the inevitable, hoping for a miracle that was never going to come.

Then, just to rub salt in the wound, Shaheen Afridi came back with the old ball and decided to play bowling alley with the tail-enders. Using some wicked reverse swing on the crumbling pitch, he clean-bowled Verreynne, Prenelan Subrayen, and Kagiso Rabada in a devastating spell. It was fast, it was brutal, and it was the final nail in South Africa’s coffin.

What’s Next for the Teams?

This wasn’t just a loss for South Africa; it was a reality check. Their incredible winning streak is over, and they were thoroughly outplayed. For Pakistan, this is a massive confidence booster. They set the tone with a huge first-innings total of 378, thanks to a monster 161-run partnership between Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood. But the real hero was Noman Ali. His ten-wicket haul for the match was a masterclass in spin bowling on a pitch that demanded skill and patience.

As Pakistan takes the lead in the series, South Africa has to go back to the drawing board. They’ve been brought crashing back down to earth, and they have Noman Ali to thank for it. Welcome back to the mortal world, Proteas. It’s not so bad here, once you get used to it.