Lahore, 16 October 2025:
South Africa captain Aiden Markram said his team showed fight and resilience despite their 93-run defeat to Pakistan in the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship series at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Markram dismissed suggestions that losing the toss was decisive, saying conditions remained challenging throughout.
“In an ideal world, you’d like to bat first, but the surface was tricky for most of the game,” Markram said. “The toss didn’t feel like the difference. There were moments where, if we’d seized the momentum, the result might have gone our way.”
He credited Pakistan’s key partnerships in the first innings for setting up the hosts’ victory.
“We thought we bowled well and had good plans, but credit to Imam and Saud, they played the sweep shots really well and made it tough to restrict scoring,” he said. “You leak a few extra runs an over and that adds up over the course of a match.”
Despite the loss, Markram said he was proud of the team’s effort.
“We always pride ourselves on fighting till the end,” he said. “It’s something we value as a group, never giving up, even when things get tough. The boys showed great character, and that’s something positive to take forward.”
Looking ahead to the second Test in Rawalpindi, Markram said the team expected similar conditions.
“The toss is out of our control, you don’t come to win the toss, you come to win the game,” he said. “We’ll go back, reflect, and find ways to be better in conditions like these.”
On the contrasting batting approaches of Ryan Rickelton and Dewald Brevis, Markram said both styles had merit.
“Brevis likes to take the game on, that’s when he’s at his best. Rickelton backs his defense and builds from there,” he said. “There’s room for both approaches — it’s about committing fully to your method.”
Markram also praised fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and hinted at possible team balance discussions ahead of the next Test.
“KJ bowled really well and probably didn’t get the rewards he deserved,” he said. “We’ll assess conditions in Rawalpindi and see if there’s a case for another seamer, but with Keshav Maharaj returning, we’ll have to weigh up our spin options too.”
Asked about the team’s recent strong record in the World Test Championship cycle, Markram said defeat was part of the game.
“You can’t win everything,” he said. “We gave it our all, but Pakistan were better over four days. You tip your cap to them and move on.”
Markram confirmed that left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj is expected to be available for the second Test.
“That’s the plan. The medical staff are working with him, and we’re hopeful he’ll be ready,” he said.
The second and final Test begins in Rawalpindi on October 20.