CAPE TOWN: Skipper Shan Masood and star batter Babar Azam helped Pakistan recover after South Africa enforced the follow-on by bowling out the visitors for 194 in the first innings on the third day of the Second Test at the Newlands on Sunday.
At the stumps on day three, the touring side were 213/1, trailing by a further 208 runs with their skipper Shan and nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad on the crease.
The final session was majorly dominated by the record partnership between Babar and Shan, who batted sensibly as the green shirts were enforced to follow-on after being bowled out for a meagre 194 in the first innings, in response to South Africa’s 615.
Shan went on to score his sixth Test century and remained unbeaten on 102 at the day end, while Babar fell agonisingly short of the landmark as he was caught in the slip cordon off Marco Jansen.
The star batter scored 81 off 124 deliveries with the help of 10 boundaries.
His dismissal paved the way for nightwatchman Khurram, who did well to see off the remaining overs and remained unbeaten on eight off 14 balls.
Earlier in the second session, Pakistan were bowled out for a meagre 194 and thus succumbed to a 421-run deficit.
The hosts enjoyed yet another dominant session in the ongoing fixture as they picked Pakistan’s remaining three wickets by conceding just 39 runs.
Ace pacer Kagiso Rabada gave the home side first success in just the fifth over of the second session by dismissing Aamir Jamal (15) with a fierce bouncer.
Tailenders Mir Hamza (13) and Khurram Shahzad (14) then offered some resilience before being dismissed by Keshav Maharaj and Kwena Maphaka, respectively.
At the conclusion of the opening session of the day, the touring side were reeling at 155/6 with all-rounder Aamir Jamal and Khurram Shahzad on the crease.
The visitors had a decent start to the day as Babar and Rizwan stretched their overnight fourth-wicket partnership to 88 runs before the former fell victim to debutant Maphaka after a gutsy half-century.
Babar scored 58 off 127 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries.
Rizwan, on the other hand, then put together a brief 26-run partnership with Salman Ali Agha before both perished in quick succession, bringing the total down to 155/6.
The wicketkeeper was cleaned up by Mulder while going for a wild slog, whereas Agha was stumped off Maharaj’s sharp spinning delivery in the 44th over.
Rizwan scored 46 off 82 deliveries, while Agha made a 22-ball 19.
Aamir and Khurram will resume Pakistan’s first innings from 155/6 in the second session as the visitors still trail by 460 runs.
For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada has taken two, while Marco Jansen, Maphaka, Mulder and Maharaj have picked one apiece.
Playing XI
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza.
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka.
