Pakistan mounted an impressive comeback on the third day of the second Test at Newlands, as Shan Masood and Babar Azam shared a historic 205-run opening partnership in their follow-on innings.
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After conceding a massive 421-run first-innings deficit, Pakistan showed resilience, reaching 213 for one at the close of play, still trailing South Africa by 208 runs.
Masood, unbeaten on 102, scored his sixth Test century, while Babar contributed a crucial 81 before falling to Marco Jansen in the gully, just 14 minutes before stumps. The partnership broke Pakistan’s previous record for the highest stand against South Africa in Tests, a significant achievement following their first-innings collapse at 194.
Forced to open the batting after Saim Ayub’s injury, Babar also starred earlier in the match with a 98-run fourth-wicket stand alongside Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 46. However, his dismissal in the first innings for 58 had triggered a batting collapse.
The second innings saw a more determined approach from Masood and Babar. Their aggressive stroke play and sharp running frustrated the South African bowlers, with tensions boiling over when Wiaan Mulder threw a ball back at Babar during his innings of 56, prompting a brief verbal exchange and umpire intervention.
Masood’s century came off 159 balls, laced with 14 boundaries, as he anchored Pakistan’s recovery. Despite the challenges, the pair demonstrated that the Newlands pitch, where South Africa had amassed 615 in their first innings, still had plenty of runs on offer.
Pakistan’s efforts have set the stage for an intriguing fourth day as they aim to narrow the deficit and prolong the contest.
