Tea Pakistan 199 for 4 (Imam 93, Masood 76, Muthusamy 2-47, Rabada 1-39) vs South Africa
A 161-run second-wicket stand between Pakistan’s opening batter Imam-ul-Haq and captain Shan Masood gave the hosts early control of the Lahore Test. But Imam fell seven short of what would’ve been a fourth Test hundred, and was the second of three wickets South Africa claimed in the middle session to make their way back into the contest.On a dry surface that is certain to deteriorate, Pakistan got into a good position thanks to the partnership between Imam and Masood. They put on Pakistan’s joint-best stand for the second wicket against South Africa, matching the Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan at the same ground in 2007.
Between them, the pair also did the work to set Pakistan up with good running between the wickets, an aggressive game plan against spin, and mostly risk-free shot selection. But both Imam and Masood were dismissed as South Africa took 3 for 36 runs in the last 40 minutes before tea, leaving the middle order with some work to do.
South Africa opted for an XI with three spinners, and there was toil for all of them, as well as Kagiso Rabada. He bowled 11 overs across two spells – Wiaan Mulder was used for just two overs at the start of the day – and found early movement which brought him the wicket of Abdullah Shafique. Rabada’s third ball swung in, beat Shafique’s inside edge, and hit him on the back pad. Shafique was given not out on field but South Africa reviewed successfully.
That was all the joy South Africa had in the morning session as Masood finished Rabada’s over with back-to-back boundaries, and combined well with Imam to blunt South Africa’s attack. Masood took on South Africa’s spinners, hitting Prenelan Subrayen over his head for six at the end of his first over, and also survived Rabada’s yorker and bouncer. With Imam, Masood ran well between the wickets as Pakistan’s total topped 100 before lunch, with both batters getting to half-centuries.
Still, offspinner Simon Harmer, back in the Test team after last playing in 2023, found significant turn and bounce, and looked the most threatening of the attack in the early stages. He was less effective after lunch, and South Africa needed their less experienced bowers to create something. Forty minutes after the interval, Subrayen drew Masood forward on 61, as he inside-edged the ball on to his pad before it popped up for Tony de Zorzi at short leg.
De Zorzi went one-handed to his left but could not hold on. In Subrayen’s next over, Imam charged down the track and hit him aerially to mid-off, where Mulder moved to his left first and then had to readjust to his right, but spilled the chance. Subrayen, though, was rewarded four overs later when he beat Masood’s inside edge and had him out lbw.
The captain left to huge cheers, not for his 76, but as the home crowd celebrated the arrival of Babar Azam to the crease. But they were almost stunned into silence when Babar was given out caught behind to left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who turned the ball just past his outside edge. Babar reviewed immediately, and with no spikes on UltraEdge, the decision had to be overturned. Babar went on to inside edge Muthusamy past Kyle Verreynne for his first runs, but then found his touch with back-to-back boundaries through midwicket. He raced to 21 off his first 22 balls.
South Africa were able to pull him back as Harmer was brought on before tea but could not dislodge him. Instead, Imam was the batter to go when he inside-edged Muthusamy to de Zorzi at short leg. Saud Shakeel gave South Africa a bonus wicket when he popped a leading edge back to Muthusamy to give him a simple return catch, and leave him on a hat-trick at the break.
