Senuran Muthusamy’s Magic: How a Six-Wicket Haul Left Pakistan Stunned

Cricket can be a brutally funny sport. One moment you’re cruising, dreaming of a 400-plus score, and the next, your middle order evaporates faster than a puddle in the Sahara. Just ask Pakistan. They learned this the hard way on day two of the first Test against South Africa, thanks to the absolute masterclass of a man named Senuran Muthusamy.

Let’s be honest, when day two began, things were looking pretty rosy for Pakistan. Resuming at 313-5, with Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha looking comfortable at the crease, the home crowd in Lahore was likely buzzing. The partnership was growing, the runs were ticking over, and South Africa looked a bit out of ideas. It seemed like just a matter of time before Pakistan posted a truly intimidating first-innings total.

But then, Muthusamy happened.

The Over That Changed Everything

It all went down in the 12th over of the day. South Africa’s left-arm spinner, Senuran Muthusamy, decided he’d had enough of this batting nonsense. With a performance that can only be described as devastatingly brilliant, he tore the heart out of Pakistan’s lineup.

First to go was the well-set Mohammad Rizwan, on a solid 75. He couldn’t resist a flirt outside off-stump, and a sharp turning delivery found the edge, landing safely in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. A big wicket, sure, but nothing to panic about just yet, right? Wrong.

Two balls later, Noman Ali walked to the crease and promptly walked back, bowled for a duck after completely misreading the line. Before the crowd could even process what happened, Sajid Khan came in, faced one ball, and edged it straight to the slips. Three wickets in four balls. A triple-wicket maiden. The stadium fell silent. From a comfortable 362-5, Pakistan had crumbled to a shocking 362-8. It was a collapse of epic proportions, a train wreck in slow motion, orchestrated by one man’s relentless accuracy.

The Agony of the 90s

While Muthusamy was busy orchestrating his demolition job, another drama was unfolding at the other end. Salman Ali Agha, who had batted beautifully, was closing in on a well-deserved century. He watched in horror as his partners disappeared one by one. After the carnage, he managed to shepherd the tail for a bit, hitting a few lusty blows and farming the strike like a pro.

But cricket, as we’ve established, is a cruel mistress. On 93, with a century tantalizingly close, Agha went for a big shot off spinner Prenelan Subrayen and was caught in the deep. He became the second Pakistani batsman in the innings to be dismissed in the nervous nineties, after Imam-ul-Haq fell for 93 on day one. You have to feel for the guy. All that hard work, only to fall just short.

In the end, Pakistan was all out for 378. What looked like a potential 450+ score just an hour earlier ended up being… well, respectable, but a huge missed opportunity. Muthusamy finished with career-best figures of 6-117, a haul he won’t forget anytime soon.

South Africa’s openers then had to navigate a tricky few overs before lunch, reaching 10-0 without any major scares. But the real story of the day was the man who turned the game on its head. Senuran Muthusamy didn’t just take wickets; he shattered Pakistan’s momentum and breathed life back into a South African side that was starting to look weary.

This is the kind of wild, unpredictable cricket that makes Test matches so compelling. One session, one over, one player can completely change the complexion of the game. And on this day, that player was Senuran Muthusamy. Pakistan will be kicking themselves, while South Africa will be thanking their lucky stars they have a spinner who can produce a little bit of magic when they need it most.