Pakistan, all out for 194, forced to follow on against South Africa in second Test
- 05 Jan 2025
South Africa enforced the follow-on after they bowled out Pakistan for 194 to take a first innings lead of 421 runs on the third day of the second Test at Newlands on Sunday.
Pakistan collapsed after a fourth wicket partnership of 98 between Babar Azam (58) and Mohammad Rizwan (46).
The stand was broken by 18-year-old debutant Kwena Maphaka five balls after the morning drinks break when Babar was caught behind by Kyle Verreynne, glancing the ball down the leg side.
Rizwan followed five overs later when he charged down the pitch against Wiaan Mulder and edged a wild slog into his stumps.
Pakistan were without injured opening batsman Saim Ayub and there was minimal resistance from the rest of the batsmen.
The 18-year-old Maphaka celebrated his maiden Test wicket in his debut Test when the left-arm fast bowler had Babar caught down the leg side and left the visitors still trailing by 460 runs at lunch.
Pakistan are effectively seven down because Saim Ayub has been ruled out of competitive cricket due to a fractured right ankle for at least six weeks after the opening batter sustained the injury on the first day.
Aamer Jamal was unbeaten on five with tailender Khurram Shahzad yet to score at the interval as Pakistan still needed 261 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Babar and Mohammad Rizwan (46) had thwarted the pace of Kagiso Rabada (2-28) and Marco Jansen (1-36) in the first hour after Pakistan resumed on a precarious 64-3. Pakistan's premier batters extended their fourth-wicket stand to 98 despite Rabada and Jansen beating Rizwan's outside edge.
Babar completed his second successive half century of the series with back-to-back boundaries against Rabada with the first one flying above the slips cordon before he fell for 58 off 127 balls with seven boundaries. Once Maphaka got the crucial breakthrough, the tourists lost two more wickets in quick succession.
Rizwan attempted a poor shot against Wiaan Mulder and under-edged the left-arm fast bowler back onto his stumps. Keshav Maharaj further punished Pakistan at the stroke of the lunch interval when he deceived Salman Ali Agha (19) off a flighted delivery and had the batter stumped.
South Africa had posted a mammoth 615 in its first innings with Ryan Rickelton scoring a career-best 259 while captain Temba Bavuma (106) and Kyle Verreynne (100) also scored centuries. South Africa sealed its place in June's World Test Championship final against Australia after narrowly beating Pakistan by two wickets in the first test at Centurion.
Australia booked its place in the WTC final at Lord's against South Africa after it clinched a six-wicket victory against India earlier on Sunday in the fifth and final Test at Sydney. Australia also regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the 3-1 series win against India for the first time in 10 years.
Brief scores: South Africa, first innings, 615. Pakistan, first innings 194 (Babar Azam 58, Mohammad Rizwan 46; K. Rabada 3-55, K. Maphaka 2-43, K. Maharaj 2-14). Match situation: South Africa lead by 421 runs on the first innings and have enforced the follow-on. Toss: South Africa.
Associated Press
