South Africa struggles against Pakistan spinners to reach 216-6 on day two in Lahore

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali took 4-85 to peg back South Africa to 216-6 on day two of the first test at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Pakistan was all out for 378 in the morning and by stumps was still ahead by 162 runs.

South Africa was 174-2 in the final session then lost four wickets for 26 runs — two of the wickets to Noman. Tony de Zorzi made it to the end of the day unbeaten on 81 from 140 balls.

From the onset, Pakistan deployed spinners from one end and Noman got catches behind off Proteas captain Aiden Markram, who reached 3,000 runs in test matches, and Wiaan Mulder.

Ryan Rickelton (71) and de Zorzi revived South Africa with a gritty 94-run third wicket stand.

They blunted Noman and Sajid Khan by not only playing deep into their crease, but also using their feet well.

De Zorzi had a nervy start when he edged two boundaries against fast bowler Hasan Ali through the slips cordon, but settled in well against the spinners and displayed his wide range of shots. Khan exhausted all three Pakistan reviews that included two unsuccessful lbw referrals against de Zorzi.

Off-spinner Salman Ali Agha broke the stand and triggered the middle-order collapse when Rickelton tried an expansive shot out of his crease and Babar Azam in the slips plucked a spectacular one-handed catch centimeters off the ground.

Tristan Stubbs (8) and Dewald Brevis' (0) inexperience on spin pitches was exposed, and Noman further dented South Africa's progress when he had Kyle Verreynne out plumb lbw half an hour before stumps.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed from 313-5 overnight on a dry pitch with plenty of variable bounce.

Agha and Mohammad Rizwan (75) extended their partnership to 163 and denied fast bowler Kagiso Rabada (1-56) a breakthrough in his four-over spell while also showing a lot of aggression against the off-spin of Simon Harmer, who finished with 1-101.

Rizwan and Agha bettered Pakistan's previous best sixth-wicket partnership against South Africa — Moin Khan and Inzamam-ul-Haq combined for 144 at Faisalabad in 1997.

Agha, who survived an lbw referral in Rabada's second over, twice lifted Harmer for sixes while Rizwan negated the spinner with sweep shots before Pakistan lost three wickets without scoring for the second time in the innings.

Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy took three wickets in four deliveries — a triple-wicket maiden over — in a career-best haul of 6-117.

Rizwan edged behind while attempting an off drive, Noman was bowled, and Khan was caught at slip by Markram for Muthusamy to be on a hat trick for the second time in the innings. Agha denied Muthusamy the hat trick.

Agha was the last Pakistan wicket to fall, on 93 going for a big hit against off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen and holing out to Muthusamy at mid-on. Agha hit five fours and three sixes in his 145-ball knock.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

South Africa's Tony dy Zorzi bats during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Noman Ali, second right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of South Africa's Kyle Verreynne, right, during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

South Africa's Senuran Muthusamy, left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha plays a shot during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

South Africa's Senuran Muthusamy celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Noman Ali during the second day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

NEW YORK (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is expected to announce a run for New York governor Friday, according to two people familiar with her plans.

The two people spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose her plans ahead of the official announcement.

Stefanik, a fierce ally of President Donald Trump, represents a conservative district in upstate New York, and has been considering a run for months.

In recent weeks she has ramped up her criticism of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, often referring to the Democrat as the “worst governor in America.” Stefanik has also attacked Hochul over her endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City.

Trump had picked Stefanik to be his ambassador to the United Nations last year but later rescinded the nomination over concerns about the Republican Party's narrow majority in the House.

Hochul, a moderate, is facing a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.

A spokesperson for Hochul's campaign referred AP to a statement from the Democratic Governors Association, which said: “Elise Stefanik has spent her career selling out New Yorkers to Donald Trump — and that is exactly why she is going to lose to Kathy Hochul next November."

Kim reported from Washington.

FILE - Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-NY., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Feb. 22, 2025, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)