Babar Azam Mohammad Rizwan Pakistan steadied Pakistan with 94/4 after losing early three wickets against South Africa on Day 3 in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
Babar and Rizwan remained at the crease on 49 and 16 respectively as Pakistan led by 23 runs. Simon Harmer picked 3 wickets.
Earlier, South Africa mounted a remarkable lower-order recovery on Day 3 of the Rawalpindi Test, turning the tide after debutant Asif Afridi’s five-wicket haul had put Pakistan in control.
Resuming at 185-4, South Africa slipped to 235-8, with Asif striking early to remove Verreynne, Stubbs (76), and Harmer. At that point, Pakistan eyed a big first-innings lead. However, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, and Kagiso Rabada flipped the script.
Muthusamy anchored the innings with a career-best 89 and found support from Maharaj (30), with whom he added 71 crucial runs. Pakistan’s fielding lapses—including three dropped catches and a missed stumping—proved costly.
After Maharaj fell to Noman Ali, No. 11 Rabada launched a counterattack, smashing 71 off 61 balls with four sixes and four fours. He and Muthusamy stitched a game-changing 98-run stand for the final wicket.
Rabada was eventually dismissed by Asif, who ended with 6 wickets, but the damage was done as South Africa posted 404, gaining a 71-run lead.
