South Africa need 41 runs to beat Pakistan in second Test
CAPETOWN (Web Desk) – Pakistan’s batsmen put on their best display of the series but South Africa’s pacers ensured the home side stayed on top, keeping the target to 41. They will begin their chase on day four.
Half-centuries from Shan Masood, Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam all offered solace for Pakistan, but a customary collapse from the lower middle order all-but ensured the series for the Proteas. Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada each picked up four scalps.
South Africa added 49 to their overnight score of 382/6, Mohammad Amir (4/88) grabbing Quinton de Kock's wicket early before seeing off Vernon Philander and Rabada. Steyn and Duanne Olivier added 23 more before Shaheen Afridi wrapped things up for 431, with South Africa claiming a lead of 254.
Steyn swapped bat for leather and sent Imam-ul-Haq packing in the fourth over of Pakistan’s reply, the left-hander swiping in ungainly fashion to a full one and edging to third slip. Fellow opener Azhar Ali was also sent back swiftly after being pinned leg-before by Rabada for 10.
It seemed that Pakistan were set to fold as they have done throughout the series. Instead, their middle order dug in to avert an innings defeat. Masood continued his good form with the bat, and a confident display from under-fire Asad Shafiq helped form a 132-run stand.
Masood (61) was then forced to depart in a similar manner to his first innings dismissal, fishing outside off stump as his concentration momentarily slipped. A fired-up Steyn picked up the crucial scalp.
Shafiq fell for a resurgent 88 shortly before his side reached the 200-mark for the first time in the series, as Philander grabbed his first wicket, and when Fakhar Zaman, Sarfraz Ahmed Amir and Yasir Shah all perished in quick succession, it was left to Babar to try and force the home side to bat again.
His stoic 72 was enough to give Pakistan a slim lead before Rabada forced him to nick off late into the evening, while Mohammad Abbas and Afridi’s desperate late stand of 24 could only muster a 40-run advantage. They did at least extend the game into a fourth day, which is more than they managed in the first game of the series, but they surely won’t be able to prevent the result staying the same.
SCOREBOARD
Pakistan 1st innings Imam ul-Haq lbw Vernon Philander 8 Fakhar Zaman c Temba Bavuma b Dale Steyn 1 Shan Masood c Quinton de Kock b Kagiso Rabada 44 Azhar Ali c Hashim Amla b Duanne Olivier 2 Asad Shafiq c Dean Elgar b Kagiso Rabada 20 Babar Azam c Faf du Plessis b Duanne Olivier 2 Sarfraz Ahmed c Quinton de Kock b Duanne Olivier 56 Mohammad Amir Not Out 22 Yasir Shah c Faf du Plessis b Duanne Olivier 5 Mohammad Abbas c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 0 Shaheen Afridi c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 3 Extras 8b 2lb 1nb 0pen 3w 14 Total (51.1 overs) 177 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-9 Zaman, 2-13 ul-Haq, 3-19 Ali, 4-51 Shafiq, 5-54 Azam, 6-114 Khan, 7-156 Ahmed, 8-162 Shah, 9-163 Abbas, 10-177 Afridi Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Dale Steyn 15.1 4 48 3 3.16 1w Vernon Philander 11 3 36 1 3.27 Kagiso Rabada 10 2 35 2 3.50 1nb Duanne Olivier 15 3 48 4 3.20 2w ............................................................... South Africa 1st innings Aiden Markram b Shan Masood 78 Dean Elgar c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Amir 20 Hashim Amla b Mohammad Abbas 24 Theunis de Bruyn c Babar Azam b Shaheen Afridi 13 Faf du Plessis c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shaheen Afridi 103 Temba Bavuma c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shaheen Afridi 75 Quinton de Kock c Asad Shafiq b Mohammad Amir 59 Vernon Philander b Mohammad Amir 16 Kagiso Rabada b Mohammad Amir 11 Dale Steyn c Fakhar Zaman b Shaheen Afridi 13 Duanne Olivier Not Out 10 Extras 5b 1lb 3nb 0pen 0w 9 Total (124.1 overs) 431 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-56 Elgar, 2-123 Markram, 3-126 Amla, 4-149 de Bruyn, 5-305 Bavuma, 6-356 du Plessis, 7-394 de Kock, 8-407 Philander, 9-408 Rabada, 10-431 Steyn Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Mohammad Amir 33 9 88 4 2.67 3nb Mohammad Abbas 34 8 100 1 2.94 Shaheen Afridi 27.1 3 123 4 4.53 Yasir Shah 21 1 79 0 3.76 Shan Masood 5 1 19 1 3.80 Asad Shafiq 4 0 16 0 4.00 ................................................................. Pakistan 2nd innings Imam ul-Haq c Dean Elgar b Dale Steyn 6 Shan Masood c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 61 Azhar Ali lbw Kagiso Rabada 6 Asad Shafiq c Quinton de Kock b Vernon Philander 88 Babar Azam c Hashim Amla b Kagiso Rabada 72 Fakhar Zaman c&b Kagiso Rabada 7 Sarfraz Ahmed lbw Duanne Olivier 6 Mohammad Amir c Quinton de Kock b Dale Steyn 0 Yasir Shah c (Sub) b Dale Steyn 5 Mohammad Abbas Not Out 10 Shaheen Afridi c Vernon Philander b Kagiso Rabada 14 Extras 9b 4lb 4nb 0pen 2w 19 Total (70.4 overs) 294 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-10 ul-Haq, 2-27 Ali, 3-159 Khan, 4-194 Shafiq, 5-201 Zaman, 6-220 Ahmed, 7-221 Amir, 8-247 Shah, 9-270 Azam, 10-294 Afridi Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Vernon Philander 19 6 51 1 2.68 1nb Dale Steyn 19 2 85 4 4.47 1nb Duanne Olivier 16 3 84 1 5.25 1w 1nb Kagiso Rabada 16.4 2 61 4 3.66 1w 1nb ............................. Umpire Bruce Oxenford Umpire Joel Wilson Video Sundaram Ravi Match Referee David Boon
