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- South Africa vs Pakistan 2nd Test, Day 4 Live Score
South Africa vs Pakistan 2nd Test, Day 4 Live Score
The 18 years and 270 days old Maphaka broke Paul Adams’ South Africa record of youngest test player, who played his first test against England in 1995 at the age of 18 years and 340 days.
South Africa made three changes after sealing its place in June’s World Test Championship final with a dramatic two-wicket win in the first test at Centurion inside four days.
Australia, India and Sri Lanka all still in the race for the Lord’s WTC final against South Africa in June. Australia could advance to face South Africa if it wins the fifth test against India in Sydney.
“It’s hot and we expect the wicket to break up,” South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said at the coin toss. “We’ve had time to wrap around what we’ve achieved, the preparations for this test have been the priority … a chance to finish off with a good note.”
Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas brought Pakistan close to its first test win in South Africa in 18 years with 6-54 in the second innings at Centurion but tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen shared a half century ninth-wicket stand and quashed the visitors hopes.
The home team, which has six successive test wins, opted to go with the express pace of Maphaka in place of Dane Paterson, who was dropped after picking up his second successive five-wicket haul at Centurion.
Corbin Bosch was left out after making a stunning test debut in the first test where he took a wicket with his first ball and then made a scintillating unbeaten half century in the first innings which gave South Africa a match-winning lead of 90 runs.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has recovered from a groin injury and replaced Bosch. Opening batter Tony de Zorzi had a thigh strain and was replaced by Wiaan Mulder as the all-rounder recovered from a finger injury and returned to the playing XI.
Pakistan, which has won just two of its last nine test matches in this WTC cycle, once again went without a specialist spinner. It rested fast bowler Naseem Shah and brought in left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza.
“A bit less grass than usual, but we would have had a bowl,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said.
Playing XI:
South Africa: Ryan Rickleton, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (captain), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka.
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Khurram Shahzad.
- Babar Azam 69 (102)
- Shan Masood 81 (135)
Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, Overcompensates with a very full ball, at the pads, clipped to deep mid-wicket for two more by Babar.
Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, FOUR! Crunched with power! Back of a length, outside off, begging to be put away. Babar Azam waits back and punches it through point for a boundary.
Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, On a length, outside off, Babar Azam with an angled face of the bat cuts it straight to short third.
Kwena Maphaka to Shan Masood, Good length, outside off, stays low in bounce, Shan Masood manages to keep his bat down in time and takes a single as the ball rolls over wide of cover.
Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, Full around middle and leg, Babar Azam flicks it off the front foot to square leg and takes a single to get off the strike.
Kwena Maphaka to Babar Azam, A wayward delivery by Kwena Maphaka to start this new spell! On a good length, down the leg side, from over the wicket, stays low in bounce as well. Babar Azam just watches the ball go through to the keeper.
- Shan Masood 80 (134)
- Babar Azam 62 (97)
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, FOUR LEG BYES! The extra ball gives extra runs for Pakistan. Rabada comes in from around the wicket and fires it down the leg side. Masood misses his tickle but the ball deflects off the pads past the diving keeper, Kyle Verreynne, into the fine leg fence.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Fuller, around off, well kept out.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Around off, punched towards cover point.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Drama! Oh dear, KG!!! It was a good delivery, landing on a length outside off and then skidding through, beating Shan Masood's attempted flick, to catch him on the pads. Rabada appealed for LBW but umpire Dharmasena shook his head. Now, the Saffas were in the process of discussing whether that should be reviewed or not but Dharmasena stops them, as he informs that the third umpire has told him in his ear that it is a NO BALL! Bavuma is losing patience now, with these oversteppings. Catch the bowling coach and ask him, what exactly is he observing during warmups? Ball Tracker shows it to be clipping leg stump, so umpire's call would have stayed.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Back of a length, outside off, Shan Masood dabs it in front of extra cover and shouts, a big 'NO'.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, On a good length, around off, coming in with the angle, Shan Masood defends it off the front foot.
Kagiso Rabada to Shan Masood, Comes around the wicket, down the leg side, good length, Shan Masood tries to tickle it fine but misses it. The keeper takes it as he makes a full stretched dive to his right.
Kagiso Rabada returns. 8-0-42-0 so far.
- Shan Masood 80 (127)
- Babar Azam 62 (97)
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, On a good length, around off, coming in, Masood works it behind square leg. He takes the single and sets off blindly for the second, but Babar shouts 'NAHI, NAHI, NAHI'. Babar then gestures to Masood a bit angrily at first, as to what is the need for such risky runs and then gestures further to his skipper to just calm down a bit.
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, Full, outside off, Shan Masood comes forward and gets across, driving it straight to Kagiso Rabada at mid on.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, On a good length, outside off, Babar Azam punches this on the up through the covers for a single.
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, Slightly shorter than the previous one, on the fifth stump, Shan Masood cuts it off the back foot to deep point for a single.
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, Good length, outside off, from around the wicket, coming in with the angle, Shan Masood comes forward and defends it to cover.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Back of a length, outside off, from over the wicket, Babar Azam guides it wide of point and takes a single.
DRINKS BREAK. Fabulous is more of an understatement for Pakistan. They have played out nearly 3 hours now, and what is more, they are getting under the skin of the South African bowlers. The ball is not doing anything and all the bowlers barring Maharaj are struggling and getting frustrated. However, with the final hour of the day approaching, it is danger time for the batters. Normally, at this stage, one wicket brings two and even three. Can South Africa work on that?
- Shan Masood 78 (123)
- Babar Azam 60 (95)
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Full and around off, the skipper looks to defend off the front foot now, but gets an outside edge to short third.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Landed around off, Masood plays from the crease and is forced to defend in a hurry.
This is now Shan Masood's highest score in an inning of a Test against South Africa, bettering his previous best of 75 in Abu Dhabi, in 2013.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Full and around off, Shan Masood lunges and defends.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Drags his length this time, outside off, Masood again goes on his knees and sweeps it out to deep backward square leg for a couple of runs. The fielder runs in and gives it a good chase to save the boundary. Masood wants to get the third one but is sent back by Babar.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, FOUR! Nicely done! Floated full, outside off, from over the wicket, turning in with the angle, Shan Masood goes on his knees and sweeps it to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Flighted full, outside off, Shan Masood comes forward and covers the line of the ball to defend it.
- Shan Masood 72 (117)
- Babar Azam 60 (95)
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, Change of angle, comes around the wicket, takes pace off and bowls it on a length, outside off. Shan Masood is a touch early into the shot but manages to adjust and push the ball into cover for a run.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Outside off, Babar taps it with soft hands towards point and calls his skipper through for a quick single. Moves to 60 now.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, On a length, around off, Babar Azam punches it down the ground, towards mid on.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Goes fuller, outside off, Babar Azam drives it to cover off the front foot.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, On a good length, around off, slanting into the batter, Babar Azam blocks it out. Well, again it has been called a NO BALL for the umpteenth time in this Test.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Goes fuller this time, just outside off, Babar Azam defends it right under his eyes. A solid defense!
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Back of a length, around off, from over the wicket, coming in with the angle, Babar Azam keeps it down off the front foot.
When it rains, it pours. After struggling for a long time to get a solid opening partnership, Shan Masood and Babar Azam have now registered the HIGHEST OPENING STAND for Pakistan against South Africa, going past Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar's 137 in Faisalabad, way back in 2003!
- Shan Masood 71 (116)
- Babar Azam 59 (89)
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, On middle and off, well kept out.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, That scooted through! Landed outside off, Shan Masood got a long way across to defend but the ball hit the rough and went past the bat, not bouncing much at all!
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Full and around off, watchfully defended.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Full again, just outside off, Shan Masood takes out his front leg and clips it to mid-wicket.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Tossed up, outside off, Shan Masood comes forward and nudges it to mid on off the front foot.
Keshav Maharaj to Shan Masood, Drops it short, around off, from over the wicket, turning in, Shan Masood eases out to the leg side.
Interesting. A WARNING for Kyle Verreynne. Apparently, when the Babar-Mulder spat was going on, with Babar in the middle of the pitch, Verreynne was apparently trying to run Babar out. Umpire Kumar Dharmasena has given him a friendly warning now, to just uphold the spirit of sportsmanship. A lot of verbal volleys are on display now.
- Shan Masood 71 (110)
- Babar Azam 59 (89)
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, Outside off, eased through point for a run.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Landed outside off, Babar reaches out and pushes it towards sweeper cover for a single.
Ahh... the umpires are getting involved now. Dharmasena is asking the players to calm down but Babar is actually flashing a smile. Now, Aiden Markram and Kyle Verreynne get across to just pacify Babar but no one is even looking in the direction of Mulder. The last thing that Pakistan need is for either of Babar or Masood to lose their concentration.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Frustration, frustration. Full and outside off, Babar Azam drives it straight back. Wiaan Mulder collects and then has a shy at the striker's end, but hits Babar instead. The batter is happy to just check where the ball went but Mulder wants to have a word with the batter. Now, Babar responds and the situation turns into an argument.
Wiaan Mulder to Babar Azam, Hard length, outside off, going away, from over the wicket, Babar Azam shoulders arms to let it go.
Wiaan Mulder to Shan Masood, On a good length again, around middle, slow in pace, Shan Masood tucks it to deep square leg for a single.
Meanwhile, in Bulawayo, in the second Test between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, it seems we are going to head towards an interesting Day 5 finish. The hosts are 139/4, trying to recover through the stand between Sikandar Raza and Craig Ervine. They now need another 138 runs, but one wicket can lead to a collapse. Who will prevail?
Match Statistics
Venue
Newlands, Cape Town
