Pakistan 194 (Babar 58, Rabada 3-55, Maharaj 2-14) and 80 for 0 (f/o) (Masood 37*, Babar 34*) South Africa 615 for 341 runs
Babar brought up Pakistan’s hundred with a lead through slips, and his fifty off the next ball, when he clipped Rabada over point. He looked well prepared when South Africa brought in their replacement players. Maphaka came on from the Rabada side and looked much less nervous than in his first three overs of the second day, starting with a series of hard deliveries.
Maphaka struck in his second over, after the drinks break, when he tipped one leg down, Babar followed in an attempt to remove it from his hips and approached Kyle Verreynne. A joyful Maphaka took off in Imran Tahir style, followed by his teammates in celebration. It was the third time since 2022 that Babar was strangled on the leg, the most by a Pakistan batsman since then.
The Babar-Rizwan partnership broke up in 98, and Rizwan had the responsibility to continue working. He bent down to cover, before Salman pulled Maphaka off his hips and took him through point, and it looked like Pakistan were settling down again. However, against the run of play, Rizwan advanced towards Wiaan Mulder and attempted to bring him down but failed to reach his stumps.
Salman brought up 150 with a straight drive off Maphaka, who was replaced by Jansen for a couple of overs before lunch. But the damage was already done at the other end, where Keshav Maharaj drew Salman forward with one that deflected and spun beyond the outside edge. Verreynne reacted quickly to break the stumps and South Africa took a big lead at lunch.
Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad held on for five overs after lunch before Jamal was dismissed by Rabada. He was rushed to turn and slid the ball towards first slip, where David Bedingham took a third catch. Shahzad and Mir Hamza did not back down and took Rabada’s next over for 15 runs, which ended up removing him from the attack.
At the other end, Maharaj benefited from Bedingham’s reflexes at short leg as he stooped to catch Hamza, while Maphaka ended the innings when Shahzad lofted a ball wide towards Tristan Stubbs at point.
This was the second time in the current World Test Championship cycle that South Africa was in a position to force the continuation, and did so quickly. Rabada and Jansen shared the new ball again and both made too many mistakes in their first periods. They created a chance: Rabada found Masood’s edge, with the Pakistan captain in the 18th over, but the ball flew into the empty third slip zone, leaving Rabada squatting.
Masood and Babar were unthreatened for the rest of the session and scored quickly, with their run rate approaching five an over towards the end of the session. South Africa’s five frontline players were used over a 16-year period, with Bavuma even turning to Aiden Markram as tea approached. Maharaj is expected to play an important role as the surface may begin to deteriorate heading into the fourth day.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
