LAHORE – Pakistan’s batting faltered as they lost six wickets in their second innings, struggling to build a solid total for South Africa on day three of the first Test at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Tuesday.
The team started the day with a strong position, having gained a 109-run lead after dismissing South Africa for 269 in their first innings.
However, things quickly went downhill for Pakistan as the day progressed. Imam-ul-Haq, who had made 93 runs in the first innings, was dismissed cheaply. He attempted to drive a ball from Simon Harmer but failed to get a solid connection, and was stumped. Captain Shan Masood, who had contributed 76 runs in the first innings, could only manage 7 runs this time.
Pakistan’s third wicket fell at 64 runs when Abdullah Shafique was dismissed for 41 runs. The team continued to lose wickets, with Babar Azam, who had contributed 42 runs, being dismissed at a total score of 119.
Saud Shakeel also failed to offer significant resistance, getting caught at the boundary for 38 runs as Pakistan reached 150. Mohammad Rizwan, who had scored 75 runs in the first innings, was bowled out for just 14 runs.
At the time of reporting, Pakistan stood at 154/7 in 43 overs, extending lead to 263 runs.
South Africa’s First Innings
Earlier, South Africa’s first innings ended at 269, giving Pakistan a handy 109-run lead. On Day 3, South Africa returned to the field, looking to take Pakistan’s total of 378 in the first innings. But they were quickly reduced to 216 for 6, still trailing Pakistan’s score.
The day started with Tony de Zorzi on 81 and Senuran Muthuswamy on 6. The breakthrough came early when Muthuswamy was dismissed for 11 runs, caught by Sajad Khan off his own delivery. De Zorzi, who had been looking solid, reached 104 runs before playing an aerial shot off Nauman Ali’s delivery and getting caught by Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Following de Zorzi’s dismissal, Senuran Muthuswamy was caught in the slip for 11 runs, and Kagiso Rabada went for a duck, also caught by Sajad Khan. By the end of the day, South Africa had lost six wickets for just 216 runs.
Nauman Ali was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking six wickets and causing significant damage to the South African batting lineup. Sajad Khan also claimed three wickets, while Salman Ali Agha picked up one.
Earlier, Pakistan’s first innings had seen impressive performances, with Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha both scoring 93 runs. Mohammad Rizwan also contributed with a vital 75 runs, while captain Shan Masood had made 76 runs. Pakistan’s total of 378 runs helped them take a solid lead into the second innings.
With six wickets already down in South Africa’s second innings, Pakistan will be hopeful of a quick conclusion to the game and pushing for a win. The match is shaping up to be an exciting contest as Pakistan looks to build on their strong bowling performance and capitalize on South Africa’s weakened position.
