RAWALPINDI\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0 Rain played spoilsport on what was shaping up to be an enthralling first day in Rawalpindi, where\u00a0Pakistan\u00a0recovered from an early slide to post 145\/3.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fawad Alam and Babar Azam, in their contrasting styles, racked up an unbroken 123-run stand that helped Pakistan recover from an alarming slide that reduced them to 22\/3. They had helped take the side to tea, when rain intervened and washed out a promising final session. Pakistan opted to bat in the morning, but found themselves in all sorts of trouble within the hour. Kagiso Rabada, and particularly Keshav Maharaj, who was brought into the attack as early as the eighth over, looked threatening. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maharaj should have had a wicket in his first over, when he induced an edge from Imran Butt that was dropped by Temba Bavuma at first slip. However, the drop didn\u2019t prove costly. In his third over, Maharaj had Butt snared with a flighted delivery \u2013 and this time, it was pouched by Quinton de Kock. Another wicket followed in Maharaj\u2019s next over, when he had Azhar Ali trapped in front with a full delivery for nought. When Anrich Nortje got into the act, dismissing Abid Ali thanks to a sharp catch at short leg by Aiden Markram, Pakistan were in dire straits. They had lost three wickets for just one run, and Azam and Alam had a job to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It didn\u2019t help that one of the two spinners in the South Africa line-up, George Linde, was forced off in the 23rd over, having injured his finger on the bowling hand. That, along with Azam and Alam\u2019s defensive proficiency meant the South African bowlers had to toil. After his early burst, Maharaj\u2019s success dried up, despite bowling extended spells. Azam, who has scored Test centuries in his two previous knocks at Rawalpindi, was in fine touch. He was the yin to Alam\u2019s yang, breezing to 125-ball 77* by tea, after a watchful start. At the other end, Alam was obdurate, his unorthodox stance and solid defensive punches, punctuated by the occasional runs, taking him to a 138-ball 42*. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They took Pakistan through to lunch safely, and went through the whole second session without losing a wicket. Azam brought up his 16th Test half-century, and Alam seemed primed to do that as well in the final session. However, relentless rain meant the batsmen will have to wait till the second morning to bring about those landmarks. That is unless a revived South Africa have another great morning session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scorecard<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imran Butt c de Kock b Maharaj 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abid Ali c Markram b Nortje 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Azhar Ali lbw b Maharaj 0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Babar Azam not out 77<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fawad Alam not out 42<\/p>\n\n\n\n
EXTRAS: (b2, nb3) 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TOTAL: (3 wkts, 58 overs) 145<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BOWLING: Kagiso Rabada 13-1-36-0, Anrich Nortje 11-3-30-1, Keshav Maharaj 25-7-51-2, George Linde 2.5-1-2-0, Dean Elgar 1.1-0-6-0, Wiaan Mulder 5-1-18-0. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
TOSS: Pakistan<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza, Aleem Dar<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TV UMPIRE: Asif Yaqoob<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MATCH REFEREE: Muhammad Javed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RAWALPINDI\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 –\u00a0 Rain played spoilsport on what was shaping up to be an enthralling first day in Rawalpindi, where\u00a0Pakistan\u00a0recovered from an early slide to post 145\/3.\u00a0 Fawad Alam and Babar Azam, in their contrasting styles, racked up an unbroken 123-run stand that helped Pakistan recover […]<\/p>\n
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