Senuran Muthusamy took a record-breaking 6-117 to help South Africa bowl out Pakistan for 378 in the first innings of the first Test, in Lahore.
Pakistan’s first innings at Lahore was a story in five parts: after Shan Masood opted to bat, they became 2-1, then 163-1, then 199-5, then 362-5, and finally 378 all out. The two large partnerships were between Imam-ul-Haq (93) and Masood (76), and between Mohammad Rizwan (76) and Salman Ali Agha (93).
Senuran Muthusamy registers record figures
Muthusamy was responsible for both collapses. Pakistan were 199-2 when he took out Imam and Saud Shakeel with consecutive balls. And at 362-5, he removed Rizwan, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan in the space of four balls to be on a hat-trick for the second time in the innings.
1st Test, Pakistan vs South Africa
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He also scalped Shaheen Shah Afridi to become the second touring spinner to claim six wickets in the first innings of a Test in Pakistan. The only other person to achieve this was Shane Warne, at the same venue on Australia’s 1994/95 tour.
After two eventful Tests, the teams met for the decider at Lahore – a match usually remembered as the only game of Phil Emery, the only man to keep wicket for Australia in Test cricket between Ian Healy’s debut and Adam Gilchrist’s last Test. Warne claimed 6-136 to bowl out Pakistan for 373 (and added 3-104 in the second innings) but could not help Australia level the series.
Muthusamy did better than Warne, finishing with 6-117. Overall, he is the 11th visiting spinner to take five wickets in the first innings of a Test in Pakistan. The last to do this was Mehidy Hasan Miraz (5-61 at Rawalpindi in 2024).
Best first-innings figures by touring spinners in Pakistan in men’s Tests
| Figures | Bowler | Team | Venue | Season |
| 6-117 | Senuran Muthusamy | South Africa | Lahore | 1994/95 |
| 6-136 | Shane Warne | Australia | Lahore | 2025/26 |
- The best first-innings figures by a home spinner in Pakistan are Abdul Qadir’s 9-56 against England at Lahore in 1986/87. These are still the best Test figures for Pakistan.
- The best figures by a touring spinner in any innings of a Test in Pakistan are Jomel Warrican’s 7-32 at Multan in 2024/25.
