Senuran Muthusamy and Kagiso Rabada staged a remarkable late comeback that put Pakistan on the back foot on the third day in Rawalpindi.
Published: October 22, 2025 10:30 PM IST
Senuran Muthusamy and Kagiso Rabada led an amazing late fightback that put Pakistan under pressure on the third day in Rawalpindi. South Africa took control of the second and final Test of the series by gaining a 71-run lead in the first innings.
Muthusamy scored a steady 89 runs, while Rabada hit a powerful 71, his first Test fifty, made in just 38 balls, after South Africa was struggling at 210 for 7. By the end of the day, Pakistan was 94 for 4, facing a tough challenge as the match had clearly turned in South Africa’s favour.
The day started with debutant Asif Afridi taking five wickets, becoming the oldest player to achieve this on his Test debut for Pakistan. Asif got his first wicket in his first over when Kyle Verreynne was caught behind. He then dismissed Tristan Stubbs, who scored 76, and Simon Harmer soon after, leaving South Africa in trouble. When Noman Ali got Marco Jansen out lbw, South Africa was at 210 for 7, still 48 runs behind.
From there, Muthusamy held the innings together. He had a 71-run partnership with Keshav Maharaj and a 98-run partnership with Rabada. This was only the second time in Test history that both the ninth and tenth wicket pairs scored more than fifty runs, and the first time since a match in Adelaide in 1998.
Maharaj scored 30 runs and got lucky a few times, he was dropped at silly mid-off by Imam-ul-Haq, almost got stumped by Asif Afridi, and was saved from a catch. Together, they fought well against Pakistan’s bowlers.
After Maharaj was out, South Africa was still 27 runs behind. Then Rabada started a powerful attack. He hit Noman Ali for four runs, smashed Sajid Khan for six, and hit Shaheen Shah Afridi for two boundaries before another six off Sajid. Rabada reached his fifty with a neat cut shot and followed it with a big hit over long-on. While Rabada was attacking, Muthusamy quietly scored in the 80s. Rabada got out when he was caught at long-on, giving Asif his sixth wicket and giving Pakistan a chance to fight back.
South Africa finished with a total of 404 runs, gaining a 71-run lead and taking away Pakistan’s early advantage. But South Africa wasn’t done yet. Despite starting with a no-ball, Rabada quickly found his form. Together with Harmer, they reduced Pakistan to 16 for 3 wickets.
Harmer got Imam-ul-Haq out lbw for 9 runs and then dismissed Shan Masood without scoring in his next over. Rabada also got Abdullah Shafique out for 6 runs, his second dismissal of him in the series.
Babar Azam, however, fought back with a steady 49 not out, his best batting so far in the series. He played well, hitting strong shots and keeping calm despite South Africa’s strong bowling. He got support from Saud Shakeel, who scored 11 runs off 43 balls.
Together, they added 44 runs before Saud Shakeel got out, caught by Aiden Markram at slip. Mohammad Rizwan, who was not out on 16, joined Babar to take Pakistan to 94 for 4 by the end of the day.
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