Lahore, Oct 21: Pakistan defeated South Africa by eight wickets today to win the first Test and go 1-0 up in the two-match series.
Pakistan, which required a further 24 runs for its maiden victory against the Proteas at home, finished off the match in 6.5 overs on the fifth and final day.
Resuming at the overnight 137 for one, left-handed opener Taufeeq Umer added two more to his overnight 61 before he was bowled by left-arm spinner Paul Adams off a delivery which kept low. Umer's 63 included nine fours and he faced 114 balls in his just over 2 1/2 hours innings.
Yasir Hameed remained unbeaten on 20 while Shoaib Malik hit captain Graeme Smith for a winning boundary over long on and remained undefeated on 8.
South Africa stumbled to 241 in its second innings yesterday against Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar (4-36) and Danish Kaneria's spin (5-46). It gave the visitors a small total of 160 runs to defend.
Umer had scored a century in Pakistan's healthy reply of 401 to South African first innings of 320 and shared the man of the match award with Kaneria.
"It was a total team effort, everyone contributed in this important victory," said Pakistan stand-in captain Yousuf Youhana.
"Our bowlers bowled well on a slow track and Shoaib Akhtar's spell on the fourth morning changed the complexion of the game," he added.
Akhtar claimed three quick wickets - Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis - before he left the field due to a strained hamstring.
"We let ourselves down yesterday when Pakistan knocked over our four batters early in the morning, but we have to regroup ourselves quickly to come back into the series," said Smith, who surprisingly went into the Test with just one specialist spinner Adams on a slow wicket.
The second Test begins in Faisalabad on Friday.
Bureau Report