In the second Test match against South Africa at Newlands, Pakistan fought back with a record-setting opening partnership between Shan Masood and Babar Azam. Despite being 421 runs behind in the first innings, Pakistan showed resilience and determination on the third day of the match. Masood scored an unbeaten century, his sixth in Tests, while Babar contributed 81 runs to the partnership. This 205-run stand for the first wicket was the highest for Pakistan against South Africa, exceeding their first innings total of 194.
Babar’s performance was particularly noteworthy as he had to step up and open the batting after Saim Ayub was ruled out due to injury. In the first innings, Babar made 58 runs and then paired up with Mohammad Rizwan to put on 98 for the fourth wicket. However, a collapse followed after Babar’s dismissal, with Rizwan also falling shortly after. Despite the early setbacks, Masood and Babar showed great character in the second innings, showcasing their skills and solid partnership.
The South African bowlers were unable to break through the resilient duo of Masood and Babar, who displayed positive stroke play and good running between the wickets. Masood’s left-handed batting style and Babar’s technical prowess ensured that Pakistan steadily built their score. There was a moment of tension when a ball thrown by Wiaan Mulder narrowly missed Babar, leading to an exchange of words between the players and intervention by the umpires. However, the Pakistan batsmen remained focused on their goal.
Despite their strong showing in the follow-on innings, Pakistan still trailed South Africa by 208 runs with Masood leading the charge with his century. Babar, who has not scored an international century since August 2023, will be looking to convert his solid performances into three-figure scores in the upcoming matches. The resilience and fighting spirit displayed by the Pakistani team in this Test match have set the stage for an exciting conclusion to the series. With key players stepping up and making significant contributions, Pakistan will be aiming to level the series in the remaining matches.
