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Rain at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. (Photo by Aamir Qureshi / AFP)
Rain and a wet garden shortened the opening day of the second test between Pakistan Y South Africa in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
SCORECARD | Pakistan vs SA: second test day 1
Babar Azam and Fawad Alam’s fourth 123-run field partnership put Pakistan firmly ahead of the Proteas, with their first inning at 145/3 after play was halted.
South Africa fired first off the blocks in the first session before lunch in the second Try Rawalpindi, after some great bowling shows by spinner Keshav Maharaj (2/51) and Anrich Nortje (1/30).
But Captain Azam and Alam reversed course from the moment they entered the area when their team was fighting on 3/22.
Not only did they arrest the falling wickets, following the fall of Imran Butt, Azhar Ali and Abid Ali in quick succession, but they continued to charge, pressing down on the Proteas attack.
Alam’s awkward and square batting stance again proved a difficult puzzle for the South African attack to solve.
The century of the left-handed hitter led Pakistan to victory in the first Test in Karachi, which they won by seven wickets, and seemed to want to pick up where it left off.
He finished the second session with a valiant 42-no out (138).
Neither of the two unbeaten batmans in the fold had a problem negotiating with Maharaj, who was excellent in the morning session.
Azam was the star of the show this time, with 77 (125), a hit that included 12 limits and a healthy hit rate of 61.60.
South Africa’s bowling attack, which was without Lungi Ngidi, who was replaced by the all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, huffed and puffed in vain before tea.
Pakistan put up 82 without losing a wicket in the second session when the field dried up and conditions looked set to hit.
However, the rain had the last word and the game was called off without the team returning for the closing session.
