Karachi: Pakistan were 33-4 at stumps, still trailing South Africa by 187 runs on opening day of the first Test of the two match series, here on Tuesday.
Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam were both not out on 5 and will resume their innings on the Day 2.
After bundling out for just 220, Rabada provided South Africa the early breakthrough, taking out the openers within seven overs. He first had Imran Butt, the debutant, dismissed for nine after extracting extra bounce, and then had Abid Ali bowled for four in his next over.
Azhar Ali and Babar Azam were in thereafter, attempting to see the day through, however Keshav Maharaj trapped the Pakistan skipper in front with a quicker delivery. When Afridi, the Nightwatchman, followed suit in the next over, bowled for nought by Anrich Nortje, South Africa were firmly in control on the end of Day 1.
Earlier, the day began with Quinton de Kock, the South Africa captain, opting to bat.
Openers Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar hit Hasan Ali for five fours between them in the first few overs, it seemed the visitors had come in with their plans set. South Africa went into lunch on the happier side, despite losing two wickets.
Markram, having edged Shaheen Afridi to slips, was dismissed for 13, and Rassie van der Dussen was run out for 17 after setting off for a quick single. Despite that, with Elgar looking in good nick, and quite comfortable facing the spinners, South Africa had posted a hefty 94/2 by lunch.
However, on the first ball after resumption, Faf du Plessis was dropped, but South Africa couldn’t capitalise on the reprieve, with du Plessis falling to a leg-break from Yasir Shah.
Captain de Kock then symbolised South Africa’s aggressive, but risky approach to spin when he scooped one off debutant Nauman Ali straight to mid-wicket for 15. When Elgar, easily the South African batsman most comfortable against spinners, became Nauman’s second wicket, the visitors were reduced to 136/5.
It needed a 42-run partnership between Temba Bavuma and George Linde to stem the flow of wickets. The duo lasted 102 deliveries, and ensured the momentum Pakistan had gained from those dismissals had been drained.
However, a wicket triggered another slide. Bavuma was dismissed for a 67-ball 17 and South Africa promptly lost four wickets for 16 runs. However, the adventurous last-wicket stand of 25 between Lungi Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada, helped South Africa cross 200 mark. (UNI)
