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Pakistan terminated world champions South Africa's unbeaten run by achieving a 93-run margin triumph in an entertaining and hard-fought opening Test in Lahore.

The Proteas, whose 10-Test winning streak in Test cricket culminated in a win against the Aussies in the World Test Championship final in the month of June, were bowled out for 183 in pursuit of 277.

Having resumed on 51 for two, they saw the dismissal of first-innings centurion De Zorzi leg before wicket to pace bowler Afridi to the third ball of the day to push the tightly balanced chase in the home team's favour.

Left-arm spinner Noman, who took 10 wickets for 191 runs in the match, dismissed Tristan Stubbs for 2 and clean bowled Dewald Brevis, who put up a fight with a run-a-ball 54.

Off-spinner Sajid also capitalized on sharp turn to end opening batsman Rickelton's innings - he faced 145 balls for 45 - and Afridi came back in the afternoon session to dismiss the lower order with a fine display of reverse-swing bowling.

He trapped Verreynne leg before for nineteen and dismissed Prenelan Subrayen and Rabada to secure the win.

It was each team's first match of the 2025-2027 World Test Championship cycle and moves the hosts directly into the number two spot behind leaders the Australian team.

The win was built around key performances of 93 by opener Imam and, importantly, number seven Agha which lifted them to three hundred and seventy-eight.

After that spinners Noman and Sajid Khan took advantage of favourable home conditions, as they had in their series victory over England the previous year, to sustain their lead.

The next and last match begins on October 20.