Recent Competition Report – South Africa v Pakistan 1st Test 2020/21

The debater picked up 5 for 35 to leave Pakistan 88 to win

Pakistan 378 and 22 for 0 (Butt 12 *, Abid 10 *) need another 66 to win vs. South Africa 220 and 245 (Markram 74, van der Dussen 64, Nauman 5-35, Yasir 4-79)

Pakistan were on the verge of taking a 1-0 lead after a stunning fall in South Africa, being beaten by a five-wicket draw for Nauman Ali first, leaving them needing just 88 for win. After a long flurry of wickets on Thursday, South Africa failed to catch the slide as did Yasir Shah and Nauman grass. South Africa dominated just 58 plus the night’s score, with 40 from Temba Bavuma as the only defensive source. Nonetheless, it looked to be in vain, with the home side calling for an extra 66 just to record their fifth test win against South Africa.

Hasan Ali began proceedings by getting rid of Keshav Maharaj’s nightmare off the first member of the day, a man who kept a little low to break Maharaj’s defense. Captain Quinton de Kock, who looked unlike himself while staying small at rest, suffered an attack by Abid Ali at the short leg off Shah.

It is very likely that South Africa will be left with two bats to drop from this Test, but the way in which Bavuma, who has been struggling recently, has been dug in, is encouragement there. On a raging turn, he found a balance that allowed him to score while neutralizing the risk. Along with George Linde, he struck up another useful small partnership to go with their 42-run center in the first innings. The sweep of sight was used sensibly, pushing back the nearby ranchers, and it was a fame for Bavuma that Shaheen Shah Afridi looked something smooth with the new ball for change. Slowly, the lead pushed past 75, and South Africa regained hope.

He was ruled out, however, by another fracture of the fracture when the second fall of the innards was started when the inner edge of Linde was severely dragged by Imran Butt at the slope of the leg. The bats that followed did not cause much struggle. Nauman was spinning a man through the gate when Kagiso Rabada tried an unconventional cover drive, and finished the five — when he caught Bavuma in front of him, the sweep for one time he failed. .

With Abid and Butt staring in a strange little spell before lunch, South African hopes of pulling a rabbit out of the hat are abruptly dashed.