South Africa vs Pakistan Highlights, 2nd Test Day 2: Follow Highlights And Commentary From Cape Town
SA vs PAK Highlights, 2nd Test Day 2: Relive the highlights, scorecard, and key moments from Day 3 of the second Test between South Africa and Pakistan taking place in Cape Town.
South Africa vs Pakistan Cricket Highlights, 2nd Test Day 2 (South Africa National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard):
Hello and welcome to our coverage of Day 2 of the second Test between South Africa and Pakistan taking place at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town on Saturday.
The hosts will look to extend their first-innings score with Ryan Rickelton going strong at 176. A double-century could be on the cards and even more, considering that the Pakistan bowling unit is struggling to find momentum.
South Africa’s dominance will be expected to continue but the Pakistan bowlers can find themselves in the hunt should they be able to strike early on to turn the tides.
The weather forecast from AccuWeather suggests sunny skies with no chance of rain playing spoilsport, which will be ideal for South Africa to extend their total.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka
Pakistan XI: Shan Masood (c), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamza, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas
Facing such an imposing total in the first innings, Pakistan desperately needed a solid start. But disaster struck early, as they collapsed to 3 wickets for just 20 runs, all thanks to persistence from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. However, in the final hour, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan displayed remarkable resilience, stabilizing the innings and ensuring no further wickets fell. They closed the day on a slightly positive note, offering a glimmer of hope for Pakistan coming back to bat on Day 3.
Pakistan’s perseverance finally bore fruit as they struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both set batters in their bid to accelerate. Yet, the damage had already been done. Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj then piled on another 102 runs, further frustrating the visitors. South Africa’s relentless march finally ended with them amassing a colossal 615 runs. Salman Agha and Mohammad Abbas chipped with three wickets each while Mohammad Rizwan was involved in 6 catches in the inning.
There’s still plenty of work ahead for Pakistan to make a comeback, but they’ve seen off the new ball and, provided the cracks on the pitch don’t widen, batting shouldn’t be as daunting as it initially seemed for them. They’ll need to dig in, build partnerships, and fight their way back into the contest. South Africa, with their solid grip on the game, will look to make early inroads on Day 3, seeking to put Pakistan back in a shell they can’t escape. The first ball of Day 3, Sunday, 5th January 2025, will be bowled at 8.30 am GMT. But, as always, you can join us early for all the build-up! Until then, it’s cheers and goodbye!
Facing such an imposing total in the first innings, Pakistan desperately needed a solid start. But disaster struck early, as they collapsed to 3 wickets for just 20 runs, all thanks to persistency from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. However, in the final hour, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan displayed remarkable resilience, stabilizing the innings and ensuring no further wickets fell. They closed the day on a slightly positive note, offering a glimmer of hope for Pakistan coming back to bat on Day 3.
Pakistan’s perseverance finally bore fruit as they struck twice in quick succession, dismissing both set batters in their bid to accelerate. Yet, the damage had already been done. Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj then piled on another 102 runs, further frustrating the visitors. South Africa’s relentless march finally ended with them amassing a colossal 615 runs.
The day kicked off with Pakistan making an impactful use of the second new ball, claiming an early scalp with David Bedingham’s dismissal. But their discipline faltered soon after, and Ryan Rickelton and Kyle Verreynne seized the opportunity, launching an aggressive counterattack. Rickelton brought up his maiden double century, swiftly followed by Verreynne, who reached three figures. Together, they constructed a commanding 148-run partnership, further tightening South Africa’s vice-like grip on the match.
What an exciting Day 2 of Test cricket we’ve witnessed! The stage is now set for an all-important ‘Moving Day,’ with South Africa firmly in control, holding all the cards as we head into Day 3. The hosts are poised to dictate the flow of the game, and it’s now up to Pakistan to play a flawless hand if they’re to stay in contention with a trail of 551 more runs.
20.6 – A dot to end and that will be STUMPS ON DAY 2! Back of a length and offering some width outside off, Mohammad Rizwan stays back and ends up tapping it towards the cover fielder. Pakistan ends the day on 64/3, still trailing by 551 big runs.
Batsman_1 : Mohammad Rizwan 9(28)
Batsman_2 : Babar Azam 31(77)
Bowler : Wiaan Mulder 0/25(5)
Over : 21
Run : 8
Wicket : 0
Score : 64/3
20.5 – Picthed up at the stumps, Babar leans on and pushes it down to mid on before scampering through for a quick single.
20.5 – NO BALL AGAIN! Good length, pushed outside off and shaping further away, left alone by Babar. Any hopes for one more over seem to have faded away now with Mulder prolonging this over.
20.5 – No run.
20.4 – Fuller in length around off, trying to angle it in, Babar gets a big stride to negate any movement off the deck and blocks it on the full.
20.3 – Pitches the ball up around off, Babar gets nicely forward and punches it straight to covers.
20.3 – NO BALL AND FOUR! Too straight again from Mulder, full as well, Babar Azam gets inside the line and flicks it off the stumps down to fine leg for a boundary. Also, Mulder has overstepped again, for the fifth time in under 5 overs!
20.2 – Good length, angling into the body, Rizwan falls over whilst flicking it away and gets it through backward square leg. They look for two but have to settle with the single.
20.2 – 1 run.
20.1 – Nagging length on off, skidding through, Rizwan stays put and jams his bat down to keep that one out.
19.6 – Tossed up again, on the stumps, Babar blocks it off the front foot.
Batsman_1 : Babar Azam 26(72)
Batsman_2 : Mohammad Rizwan 8(25)
Bowler : Keshav Maharaj 0/2(2)
Over : 20
Run : 1
Wicket : 0
Score : 56/3
19.5 – Keshav Maharaj and the Newlands crowd thought that was a catch but everyone has a bit of a laugh afterwards. Tossed up around off, Babar Azam presses forward and drives it into the turf as the ball goes right into the clutches of Temba Bavuma at short covers.
19.4 – Flights this one up, full and on off, Babar leans right on and strokes the ball to the left of the bowler.
19.3 – Nicely looped up, full and around off, drifting in, Babar Azam gets a good stride out and blocks it with soft hands.
19.3 – No run.
19.2 – No run there! Flatter one around off, patted away on the up and just wide of cover-point for a dot.
19.1 – Drops it short and outside off, the ball just sits up, Rizwan backs away and cuts it to sweeper cover for one.
18.6 – Nagging length in the channel, threatening to nip away, Babar pushes at it but with soft hands and edges it down on the bounce to Marco Jansen at gully.
Batsman_1 : Babar Azam 26(67)
Batsman_2 : Mohammad Rizwan 7(24)
Bowler : Wiaan Mulder 0/17(4)
Over : 19
Run : 8
Wicket : 0
Score : 55/3
18.5 – FOUR! Nicely turned away off the legs! Overcorrection from Mulder as he serves it full and on the pads, Babar brings those wrists into play and clips it away past square leg for another boundary.
18.4 – FOUR! In control there Babar Azam and the 50 comes up for Pakistan.
18.3 – That in-between length, honing in on off and middle, Babar Azam stays solid in defense.
18.2 – Pitched up on off, angled in and then gets it to leave the batter off the seam, Babar Azam gets squared up and edges it down towards gully.
18.1 – On a good length but floated well wide of the off stump line, Babar leaves it alone.
17.4 – Tossed up, a bit too full and outside off, Babar plants his front foot across and strokes it on the up through cover-point for a single.
17.3 – Flighted ball on off, this one drifts back in as well, Babar waits well and defends it off the front foot.
17.1 – Loops this one up, full and around off, some drift on it as well, Babar Azam leans on and pushes it out on the off side.
First sign of spin in this inning as Keshav Maharaj is tossed the ball.
17.5 – Nagging lengthy on the fifth stump line, dropping on the batter, Rizwan is almost too early into the drive and has to just jam it out.
17.6 – No signs of turn on the pitch but accurate start from Maharaj.
16.3 – Pitches the ball right up on the off pole, Mohammad Rizwan stays leg side of the ball and drives it straight to mid off.
Change?
16.6 – Mulder gets Rizwan driving this time and gets through an over without any front-foot issues as well. Floated up in and around off stump, Rizwan leans on to drive but plays it a bit uppishly and towards cover.
16.5 – Length ball on off, solidly blocked off the front foot again by Rizwan.