Rawalpindi Test: Maharaj headlines South Africa's bounce back vs Pakistan
What's the story
Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi put up a strong resistance for South Africa on Day 2 of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi. The duo took their team's score to 185/4 at stumps after the early dismissals of both openers. Earlier in the day, Pakistan were bowled out for 333 as Keshav Maharaj claimed seven wickets. Here is the Day 2 report.
1st innings
Maharaj rattles Pakistan lower order
The hosts resumed Day 2 at 259/5. Salman Ali Agha (45) and Saud Shakeel (66) had put up a solid 70-run partnership, taking Pakistan's total to 316/5. However, once Maharaj broke their partnership by dismissing both in consecutive overs, the rest of the tail quickly fell apart. Each of the final five fallen wickets went to Maharaj's credit as Pakistan were folded for 333.
Maharaj
Fourth seven-fer for Maharaj in Tests
Maharaj claimed 7/102 from 42.4 overs. This was the fourth instance of him taking at least seven wickets in a Test innings, as per ESPNcricinfo. The left-arm spinner has equaled former spinner Joseph Tayfield in terms of SA bowlers with the most seven-plus wicket-hauls in Tests. No other Proteas bowler has even three such spell.
Feats
Maharaj joins Adams
Paul Adams (7/128 in Lahore, 2003) is the only other South African bowler to claim at least seven wickets in a Test innings on Pakistan soil. Meanwhile, the only SA bowler with better figures versus Pakistan in a Test innings is Kyle Abott - 7/29 in Centurion (2013). No other South African bowler has a seven-fer against the opposition.
Career
12th fifer in Tests
Earlier this year, Maharaj became the first South African spinner to complete 200 Test wickets. He has now raced to 210 wickets from 60 Tests at an average of 29.31. He owns 12 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul. 22 of his wickets have come in five Tests against Pakistan at 27.59 (5W: 1).
Shakeel
Shakeel hammers his second Test fifty versus SA
Resuming the day at 42*, Shakeel went on to score 66 off 147 balls, having smashed four fours. He slammed his 10th Test fifty as he also owns four tons. This knock took him to 1,762 runs from 21 Tests at an average of 48.94. Meanwhile, this was his second Test fifty against SA. He has raced to 225 runs against them at 32.14.
SA innings
Stubbs, De Zorzi lead South Africa's resistance
SA were off to an ordinary start as openers Aiden Markram (32) and Ryan Rickelton (14) perished early. However, Stubbs and De Zorzi rescued the team with a third-wicket partnership of 113 runs. Both batters completed their respective fifties before De Zorzi and Dewald Brevis (0) perished in the final hour. Stubbs (68*) and Kyle Verreynne (10*) returned unbeaten as SA finished at 185/4.
Stats
Yet another 50-plus score for De Zorzi
De Zorzi, who made a hundred in the series opener, departed for 55 off 93 balls in his latest outing (2 sixes, 1 four). Playing his 15th Test, the Proteas batter has racked up 816 runs at an average of 31.38. His tally also includes three half-centuries besides a couple of tons. Versus Pakistan, De Zorzi now has 179 runs at 35.80.
Bowlers
Pakistan used four bowlers in the day
Pakistan operated with just four bowlers on the day, with Shaheen Afridi being the only pacer. He drew the first blood and finished with 1/43 (15 overs). Sajid Khan (1/55 from 14 overs) took the second wicket as the final two scalps went to 38-year-old debutant Asif Afridi (2/24 from 15 overs. Noman Ali went wicket-less on the day (0/61 from 21 overs).