Web desk: If gifting the opposition the match is an art, Pakistan is the Picasso of it.
From a commanding position in the 2nd test match, they have conceded the advantage to South Africa through some terrible bowling, coupled with poor captaincy.
Pakistan had South Africa on the ropes in the first hour on day 3.
The debutant Asif Afridi ran through the South African batting lineup, claiming a five-for and reducing them to 235 for 8.
If Pakistan had cleaned up the tail, they would have taken a lead of 80+ runs, taking a clear advantage in the match.
But they did what they do best – capitulate under pressure.
South African batsmen started attacking the bowlers, and they lost their lines and length. Muthusamy was a rock on one end, and he was well supported first by Maharaj and then Rabada.
He stitched a partnership of 71 runs with Maharaj, with help from Pakistani fielders who dropped two catches and a missed stumping by Muhammad Rizwan.
Maharaj finally got out to Sajid Khan, and Pakistan could have still achieved a small lead if they had gotten Rabada out, but he had other plans.
Rabada played like a top-order batsman, and he turned the test into a T20 match. He raced to his maiden international fifty off just 38 balls.
Shan Masood looked clueless, and the Pakistani players’ body language was down as well. It seemed as if they had seen a ghost in the form of Kagiso Rabada.
He kept toying with the bowlers and hit 4 sixes and 4 fours on his way to 71 runs when he holed out to long on of Asif Afridi.
His 71 runs are the fifth highest for a number 11 batter in test cricket. South Africa’s lead was also 71 when they got all out.
This is not the first time Pakistani bowlers have failed to clean the tail up and have gifted the opposition the match.
In their last series, they lost against the West Indies despite having them reduced to 54 for 8 in the first innings. Similarly, they had 26 for 6 in the first innings at Pindi, only to let them score 262 and lose the match.
They did the same thing today by getting bashed by South African tail-enders.
And when they eventually got them out, they had already gifted the momentum to South Africa that they used to great effect when they came out to bowl.
It seemed as if someone had changed the pitch when Pakistan batted. Imam and Shan missed straight deliveries by Harmer and got out leg before.
Abdullah Shafique, who might have played his last test innings today for a while, got out to Kagiso Rabada again when he edged one to slip.
The crowd was cheering for Babar Azam, so they could see him bat, and the collapse meant that they got their wish.
Babar, who has been in terrible form himself, looked flawless today. He hit 7 beautiful boundaries in his stay of 49, and looked really comfortable on the wicket.
Saud Shakeel got out to Harmer as well, but Babar and Rizwan took Pakistan to stumps. Their score was 94 for 4 at the end of the 3rd day’s play, leading by 23.
So, Pakistan is effectively 23 for 4, and they are facing an uphill task from here on. If they had gotten Africa tail out cheaply, they would have ended the day on a high.
A bowling and captaincy failure meant they are staring down at defeat.
Babar is the key, and he will need support from Rizwan and Salman. And Pakistan’s tail has to bat well too.
They have been really poor throughout the series, and if Pakistan are to set a total of 200 plus, they need to bat well.
South Africa’s last five batsmen added 204 today, and Pakistani tail-enders need to replicate that. But as things stand, South Africa has taken a strong grip of the match, and it will take something extraordinary from the Pakistani batters to challenge them.
