Pak vs SA, 2nd Test, Day 2: Pakistan’s stability hanging by a thread

A 123-run partnership between Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Karachi Test hero Fawad Alam came to an end after the Pakistan skipper departs on his overnight score, giving Nortje his second wicket.

It was a loose shot as Babar Azam went hard at a delivery outside off and ended up edging it to du Plessis. He departs for 77, leaving Pakistan at 145 for 4.

Babar Azam has been the overnight not out batsman 11 times in his Test career and this was the second time he got out without adding to his overnight score.

The last such instance was against Bangladesh at the same venue when he got out off the first ball of the third day after having finished unbeaten on 143 on the previous day.

However, there’s nothing to suggest he’s a regular bad starter given that’s scored 545 runs from the other nine innings, including 113 in an innings against New Zealand in Dubai after finishing the previous day on 14*.

However, Pakistan’s stability hanged by a thread as Fawad Alam was run out on 45 runs.

Squads

Pakistan Test squad:

Babar Azam (C), Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Sajid Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Nauman Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tabish Khan.

South Africa squad:

Quinton de Kock (C), Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Tabraiz Shamsi, George Linde, Daryn Dupavillon, Marco Jansen.