South Africa vs Pakistan 2nd Test, Day 4 Live Score

Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, A bit quicker, around off, Shan Masood goes back and works it on the bounce to David Bedingham at short leg.

Keshav Maharaj to Babar Azam, Landed outside off, little bit of turn, Babar Azam reaches out and drives it through the covers for a single.

It is now getting a bit ridiculous from a South African point of view. It is almost like whenever a bowler returns for a new spell, barring Keshav Maharaj, everyone else is bowling at least one no ball in the returning over. The no ball count has gone upto 10 now, with every seamer barring Kwena Maphaka bowling a no ball at least. This is to go with 11 in the first innings. So 21 in total already.

Marco Jansen to Shan Masood, FOUR AND HUNDRED FOR THE PAKISTANI SKIPPER, SHAN MASOOD! What a knock under immense pressure! After two-and-a-half days of struggle for Pakistan, their captain has stood tall, leading from the front with a brilliant century. A captain’s innings in every sense of the word! Marco Jansen goes full and on middle, Shan Masood drives it past mid on to his left. Keshav Maharaj chases the ball up towards the boundary cushions but loses the race eventually. The dressing room rises to applaud its leader and so does the crowd! This is Masood's FIRST CENTURY AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA in Tests.

Marco Jansen to Babar Azam, Fuller and outside off, Babar Azam punches it to deep point for one and gets the skipper back on strike for the last ball. Pakistan and this partnership now go to 200 runs! 

Marco Jansen to Shan Masood, Full and at the stumps, jagging back in late, Shan Masood flicks it to deep square leg and gets a single. Moves to 98 now!

Marco Jansen to Shan Masood, On a good length, outside off, nipping back in, SM looks to tuck it across but misses. No LBW appeal, as it was too high.

Marco Jansen to Shan Masood, On middle and leg, Shan gets across and works it towards mid on.

Marco Jansen to Shan Masood, Similar ball, tempting Masood again and this time, the skipper connects. Moves his feet, gets to the pitch of the ball and drives it through the covers. Temba Bavuma seemed to have it covered but fumbled at the last moment, allowing his counterpart to return for the second. Masood onto 97 now.

Double change. Marco Jansen is back on, with around 25 minutes left in the day. 7-0-40-0 so far.

Marco Jansen to Shan Masood, Ooohhh... steady there, nervy skipper. Full and wide outside off, Shan Masood thinks it is right in his arc to drive and goes hard after it, without moving his feet. Luckily for him, he misses. In the end, would not have mattered even if he had edged it. NO BALL called by the third umpire.

Keshav Maharaj to Babar Azam, Maharaj slows it up and hits the rough, just around off and gets the ball to turn away past the outside edge as Babar Azam looks to block it straight. 

Keshav Maharaj to Babar Azam, Flighted full again, Babar charges down the track, converts it into a full toss and whips it straight to mid on. 

Keshav Maharaj to Babar Azam, Looped very full, on middle, Babar Azam turns it to mid-wicket. 

Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, A touch short, on middle and leg, the skipper punches this down the ground, towards long on, for a single, to move to 95. 

Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Slower through the air, around off, Masood goes back and helps it on the bounce to David Bedingham at short leg.

Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Full and around off, Shan Masood lunges and defends.

Meanwhile, in Bulawayo, what was anticipated to be a 5-day thriller, has now rocketed towards a 4-day finish. Champion Rashid Khan has spun a web around the home side, picking up 6 wickets, as Zimbabwe have slipped from 157/4 to 178/8! With the extra half hour taken, will Afghanistan be able to close the Test out today itself? The target for Zimbabwe is 278. Long way away. Only Craig Ervine stands between the visitors and victory. Keshav Maharaj returns. 12-3-33-0 so far.

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Good length, just outside off, Shan Masood pushes it to the left of short third and calls Babar for a single. He now moves to 94 runs!

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Length, on middle, blocked to mid on by Shan.

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, Bashes the deck hard, on a short of a length, over middle, Babar Azam taps it in front of cover and steals a quick single. 

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Full again, but around leg this time, Shan Masood nudges it to deep square leg for a single. 

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Full outside off, Shan Masood goes for a drive again but gets through the inner half of the blade to mid on. He makes a fumble and Shan Masood calls out for a quick single but is sent back by Babar.

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, FOUR! MOVES INTO THE 90s! Full, outside off, from around the stump, overpitched, Shan Masood comes forward and drives it wide of cover for a boundary. A good start to the over for Pakistan and their skipper is inching closer to his hundred. 

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, Good followup delivery! Bangs it into the deck, on a back of a good length, just outside off, shaping away a bit off the seam, Babar Azam throws his hands in an attempt to slice it through off but misses.

Kwena Maphaka to Shan Masood, Oh no, not the best of balls from Kwena Maphaka, and this isn't the first time he has missed his radar. Fires it full and way down leg, Kyle Verreynne dives to his right but fails to make a clean stop. The ball rolls behind him and the batters take a bye.

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, On a good length, angling into middle and off, Babar Azam just taps it in front of cover and takes a single. 

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, FOUR! DIGS IT OUT! A yorker from around the stumps, just outside off, coming in with the angle, Babar Azam digs it out in the gap between first slip and gully. Aiden Markram makes a full stretched dive to his right but can't stop the ball from going to the boundary at deep third. 

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, BEATEN! Back of a length, outside off, going away, Babar Azam goes for an expansive cut shot off the back foot but misses it. 

Reload. Kwena Maphaka comes charging in but has to abort just at the time of the delivery. Reason? Kyle Verreynne. No, not his fault, in fact it was good that he stopped Maphaka. In the nick of time, Verreynne, surveyed the field and saw deep backward square leg, fine leg and leg gully in place. As per cricketing rules, you cannot have three fielders behind square on the leg side. Will be deemed a no ball. Accordingly, the field got changed.

Kwena Maphaka to Shan Masood, Good length, around middle, coming in with the angle, Shan Masood tries to flick it off the front foot. But misses it as the ball kisses the pads and goes to deep fine leg. They take a single, signalled as a leg bye.

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, Babar lets this outside-off delivery go through. 

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, Oh what happened there? KG bowls this a bit closer to the off-stump line and on a length. Babar Azam goes fishing at it and gets beaten by not more than a whisker. A slight lapse of concentration maybe. 

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, On a length, outside off, Babar Azam holds his bat high and makes a leave. 

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, On a good length, outside off, Babar Azam steers it to cover.

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, On a good length, coming into the batter, around off and middle, Shan Masood tries to punch it off the back foot but gets an inside edge onto the pads. He gets a single as the ball rolls over to point.

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Full outside off, Shan Masood comes forward and blocks it out with ease.

Understandably, Kwena Maphaka must be feeling the nerves in his debut Test. He picked up 2 wickets in the first innings but has struggled almost throughout the match, not quite able to stick to one line or length. Maphaka was a sensation in the latest edition of the Under-19 World Cup, played in South Africa, in 2024. He was projected to be a special player for Protean future and was fast tracked into competitive cricket. He even got a contract in the Indian T20 League, with Mumbai, but struggled. Maybe, all of these in such quick time, could be nerve-wracking for the kid. Hence, Temba Bavuma is almost right into his ears every ball, just to make the kid feel that he belongs to this level.

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, On a good length, outside off, Babar Azam sees the line and opts to make another leave.

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, Outside off, full, lets it go does Babar. 

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, FOUR! In total control! Back of a length, on middle, Babar Azam pulls it square on the leg side. He rolls his wrists over the ball and keeps it down the ground to beat deep mid-wicket to his right.

Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, Comes around the wicket now, on a good length, shaping in, Babar Azam comes forward and defends it. 

Kwena Maphaka to Shan Masood, Back of a length again, around middle, angling into the batter, Shan Masood pulls it along the ground to deep square leg for a single. 

Kwena Maphaka to Shan Masood, Starts with a back-of-a-length ball, down the leg side, from over the wicket, Shan Masood swivels and watches the ball going through to the keeper. He takes it by diving to his right. 

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, At the stumps, on a tight length, Babar covers the line and keeps it down.

Kagiso Rabada to Babar Azam, KG goes full and on off, Babar Azam drives it neatly but can't get it past mid off. 

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Length, over middle, Shan Masood works it across to deep mid-wicket for one.

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Good length, around middle, coming in with the angle, Shan Masood keeps it down to the leg side off the front foot. 

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, FOUR! STRAIGHT DOWN THE GROUND! Full again, overpitched, just outside off, inviting the drive, Shan Masood comes forward and drives it down the ground, to the left of the bowler for a boundary. Mid on dives to his right, but in vain. The partnership is now worth 173. The deficit is now 248.

Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Full outside off, from around the wicket, Shan Masood comes forward and drives it straight to cover.