Bad light stops play as South Africa trail by 166 runs

Pak vs SA: Second Test - Day 2 - STUMPS - Match Report - Rawalpindi - Feb 5

February 05, 2021
Bad light stops play as South Africa trail by 144 runs / Photo: PCB

The day two of second Test between Pakistan and South Africa witnessed another early stumps as bad light stopped play with Proteas trailing behind 166 runs in first innings. 

The visiting team were four wickets down at 106 runs with captain Quinton de Kock (24) and Temba Bavuma (15) present at crease. 

Fast bowler Hasan Ali struck early grabbing two key wickets right before tea break as South Africa were 26 for two at the end of second session. 

Opener Dean Elgar (15) and Rassie van der Dussen (0) were both sent to pavilion in the last over before the session ended. 

While Faf du Plessis (17) and Aiden Markram (32) were dismissed afterwards by Faheem Ashraf and Nauman Ali, respectively. 

Bowling first, a five-wicket haul by South African pacer Anrich Nortje ensured the home team is restricted to 272 runs.

Pakistan were all out on day two after lunch with Faheem Ashraf top-scoring for the side with an unbeaten 78 as wickets on the other end kept falling. 

Nortje was the force behind the visiting team's success on Friday as he wrapped up Pakistan's innings taking five wickets; becoming the leading wicket-taker for Proteas. 

Three wickets fell in the post-lunch session as Wiaan Mulder dismissed Yasir Shah (8) while Nortje got rid of the Pakistani tail-enders Nauman Ali (8) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (0).

Earlier South Africa had a wonderful first session after grabbing four wickets to take back control in the second Test against the home side in Rawalpindi. 

Nortje struck twice on the morning of day two after dismissing two key wickets of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan struggled with 229 for seven at lunch. 

Faheem Ashraf, who scored another half-century, stayed on crease with an unbeaten 54 alongside Yasir Shah at the end of first session. 

The home team captain Babar fell short of turning his innings to a century after losing his wicket to Nortje on second ball of when the game was resumed today at Pindi Stadium. 

In a 15 minutes earlier start to day's play, the Pakistani skipper found his way back to pavilion in no time following a thick outside edge to Faf du Plessis at second slip. 

Soon afterwards, middle-order batsman Fawad Alam (45) joined him in the dressing room after getting dismissed through a runout by Temba Bavuma.

Pakistan were 190/5 after 82 overs with Faheem Ashraf (23) and Mohammad Rizwan (18)  batting on crease. 

However, Rizwan was soon dismissed in the next over by Nortje after a top-edged pull found him caught at fine leg off Kagiso Rabada. 

Hasan Ali was the next breakthrough for Proteas who lost his wicket just two overs prior to lunch break with turn and bounce doing the trick for Maharaj.  

Earlier on Thursday, the post-tea session was washed out due to rain. Pakistan had ended the day at 145 for three with Babar and Fawad providing the team much needed recovery after they were 22 for three at one stage in the first session. 

Read: Babar, Fawad help Pakistan recover as rain forces early stumps

The writer is a sports sub-editor at Geo digital group.

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