Proteas surge into control on 'moving day' in desperate bid to level the series in Rawalpindi

The Proteas have roared back into contention after dominating the third day, also known as 'moving day', of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

After the last three wickets added 194 runs to push the Proteas up to 404 - an invaluable lead of 71 - the bowlers made the new ball talk as Pakistan collapsed to 16/3 before recovering to 60/4 and eventually finishing on 99/4 - a lead of just 23 runs.

Simon Harmer was handed the new ball in tandem with batting hero Kagiso Rabada and the off-spinner accounted for the first two Pakistan wickets to fall. Harmer trapped Imam-ul-Haq LBW before setting up the Pakistan captain Shan Masood with two vicious turning off-spinners away from the left-hander’s bat before rifling in a straight delivery. 

Pakistan’s woes continued when Rabada, who had earlier struck a career-best 71 in a 98-run last-wicket partnership with Senuran Muthusamy, found Abdullah Shafique’s outside edge.

And unlike when Tristan Stubbs failed to gather the chance in the first innings, this time it was Marco Jansen at gully and the lanky allrounder made no mistake. 

Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel tried to keep the rampant Proteas at bay and managed to put together 44 for the fourth wicket before Harmer struck again. On this occasion, the off-spinner found Shakeel’s outside edge and captain Aiden Markram finally held onto one at slip. 

This left Pakistan’s most experienced batter Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to see the home side to the close without suffering any further setbacks. 

The healthy crowd that had come into the Rawalpindi Stadium were certainly eager to see their hero Babar Azam make an impact and the former skipper responded by playing positively particularly against Keshav Maharaj, driving through the off-side whenever the left-arm spinner overpitched. 

The Proteas will know that Babar Azam’s wicket is likely what stands between the tourists from the levelling the series and will be eager to dismiss him early on Thursday. 

Second Test, Day 3, Stumps

Pakistan: 333 all out & 99/4 (Babar Azam 49*, Mohammad Rizwan 16*, Harmer 3/26, Rabada 1/22)

South Africa 404 all out (Muthusamy 89*, Rabada 71, Asif Afridi 6/79)

Pakistan lead by 23 runs