RAWALPINDI: South African spinner Keshav Maharaj produced a masterclass in spin bowling on the second day of the Rawalpindi Test, claiming seven wickets to bowl out Pakistan for 333 runs in their first innings.
Pakistan began the day at 259 for 5, with Saud Shakeel on 42 and Agha Salman on 10. Both batters showed composure early on, adding valuable runs before Maharaj struck twice in quick succession. Shakeel completed a fluent 66, while Salman fell just short of a half-century with 45.
The lower order offered little resistance as Shaheen Afridi, Sajid Khan, and debutant Asif Afridi all succumbed to Maharaj’s sharp turn and drift. Nauman Ali remained unbeaten on six as Pakistan’s innings ended shortly before lunch.
Earlier on Day 1, Pakistan had laid a solid foundation after winning the toss and electing to bat. Captain Shan Masood top-scored with a confident 87, while Abdullah Shafique contributed 57. However, wickets fell regularly after their dismissals, preventing the hosts from posting a bigger total.
For South Africa, Maharaj led the way with brilliant figures of 7 for 83, his best performance on Asian soil. Simon Harmer supported with 2 for 65, and Kagiso Rabada chipped in with one wicket.
Pakistan, leading the two-match series 1–0 after a 93-run win in Lahore, will look to strike early when South Africa begin their reply later in the day.
The pitch in Rawalpindi has started to show signs of turn, suggesting that spin could play a major role as the match progresses.
