Rawalpindi, October 22, 2025: South Africa’s lower-order heroics and Simon Harmer’s spin mastery left Pakistan struggling for stability on the third day of the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
By stumps, Pakistan were 94 for 4, holding a slim 23-run lead, with Babar Azam (49 off 83 balls) and Mohammad Rizwan (16 off 49) keeping the hosts afloat after another dramatic day dominated by the visitors.
Earlier, Senuran Muthusamy’s unbeaten 89 and a record 98-run stand for the tenth wicket with Kagiso Rabada powered South Africa to 404 all out, giving them a crucial 71-run first-innings lead.
Resuming on 285-8 after lunch, South Africa’s tail turned the game on its head. Muthusamy, who started the session on 48, reached his second Test fifty and anchored the innings with remarkable calm.
He first shared a 71-run partnership with Keshav Maharaj (30) before combining with Rabada for the decisive stand. Rabada launched a furious counterattack, hammering 71 off 61 balls with four fours and four sixes, taking the attack to Pakistan’s spinners.
Their partnership frustrated the hosts for more than an hour before Asif Afridi ended the stand by trapping Rabada, completing a six-wicket haul on debut.
Asif finished with 6 for 79 in 34.3 overs, while Noman Ali claimed two wickets. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sajid Khan took one apiece.
In response, Pakistan’s top order faltered against Harmer’s off-spin. The spinner trapped Imam-ul-Haq (9) and Shan Masood (0) lbw early, leaving Pakistan 16 for 2.
Soon after, Kagiso Rabada removed Abdullah Shafique (6) to deepen the collapse. Babar Azam, however, steadied the innings, adding 44 runs with Saud Shakeel (11) before Harmer struck again to remove the left-hander.
At the close, Babar remained unbeaten on 49 with seven fours, showing composure and grit alongside Rizwan as Pakistan looked to rebuild on day four.
Harmer was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa, finishing the day with 3 for 38, while Rabada took one wicket.
With the pitch beginning to offer variable bounce and turn, day four promises a crucial battle as Pakistan aim to stretch their fragile lead and South Africa eye a chaseable target to clinch the series.
