Special Correspondent
South African left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy credited teamwork, discipline, and persistence after claiming a career-best 6 for 117 against Pakistan on Day 2 of the opening Test at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. His performance not only revived South Africa’s hopes in the match but also marked the third-best Test figures by a South African on Pakistani soil.
Speaking to reporters after play, Muthusamy admitted that being twice on a hat-trick added a touch of excitement to his performance.
“It was cool,” he said with a grin. “It would’ve been nice to get one, but it wasn’t quite to be. Still, I’m really happy to have contributed and helped open up the game.”
‘We bowled well as a unit’
While his six-wicket haul earned him the spotlight, Muthusamy was quick to share the credit with his teammates.
“We bowled well as a unit,” he said. “Prenelan [Subrayen] and Simon [Harmer] asked good questions throughout the innings. It was a real team effort.”
The left-arm spinner described the Gaddafi Stadium surface as “probably as spin-friendly as I’ve played on”, acknowledging that the pitch demanded patience and precision rather than aggression. His disciplined spells broke Pakistan’s strong position—dismissing Mohammad Rizwan (75), Salman Ali Agha (93), and Babar Azam (23) among others—to bundle out the hosts for 378 runs before lunch on Day 2.
‘It’s about resilience’
Reflecting on South Africa’s batting collapse later in the day, which saw them slump to 216 for 6, Muthusamy remained philosophical.
“It’s not ideal to lose those wickets so close to the end of play, but that’s Test cricket,” he said. “It’s about bouncing back and showing resilience. I thought we did a lot of good today.”
Muthusamy’s optimism comes as South Africa trails Pakistan by 162 runs with four wickets in hand, leaving the Test delicately balanced heading into Day 3.
‘Herath and Keshav shaped my bowling’
Discussing his journey and inspirations, Muthusamy credited two key influences on his development as a spinner.
“I really enjoyed watching Rangana Herath bowl—the way he went about his work was fantastic,” he shared. “Growing up in Durban, playing alongside Keshav Maharaj was also awesome and helped shape my game.”
Despite his standout performance, Muthusamy remained humble about his achievement.
“It wasn’t easy. It was a lot of hard work and toil,” he admitted. “I was just fortunate enough to pick up the wickets.”
With Muthusamy’s brilliance bringing South Africa back into contention, the match now hinges on how the visitors handle Pakistan’s spinners—Noman Ali and Sajid Khan—when play resumes on Day 3. For South Africa, resilience and partnerships will be key; for Pakistan, maintaining pressure could pave the way to a commanding first-innings lead.
