Pakistan made a composed start to the second Test against South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, reaching 95/1 at lunch on Day 1 after opting to bat first.
Despite a testing first hour, the hosts weathered early pressure from the South African bowlers. Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood stitched together a resilient 60-run partnership, with Shafique surviving two dropped chances—first by Stubbs on zero and later by Maharaj on 15.
The only breakthrough for South Africa came courtesy of Simon Harmer, who bowled Imam-ul-Haq with a sharp delivery just before the drinks break. Harmer and Maharaj bowled with discipline, but the pitch offered limited assistance to the spinners early on.
Masood, initially tentative, grew in confidence and played some elegant strokes down the ground, especially against spin. At lunch, Masood was unbeaten on 38 off 63 balls, while Shafique held firm with 37 off 82 deliveries.
South Africa will rue missed opportunities, as early wickets could have tilted the momentum. With 60 overs left in the day, the post-lunch session promises more drama as both teams look to assert control.
Watch Pakistan vs South Africa 2nd Test Live on Tamasha App
Viewers in Pakistan can watch the match live on PTV Sports. While there is no live broadcast nor streaming available in India.
Live Streaming Platform: Tamasha App
- Availability: Pakistan only
- Languages: Urdu commentary available
- Devices: Android, iOS, and Web
- Streaming Quality: Full HD with real-time score overlay
To watch the match live, download the Tamasha App from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You can also stream directly via their official website.
Pakistan Playing XI: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah.
Pitch report
Historically, Rawalpindi has been a high-scoring venue in recent years. Here are some key numbers:
| Metric | Stat |
|---|---|
| Average 1st Innings Score | 340 |
| Highest Test Total | 600/7 dec – Pakistan vs India, 2004 |
| Lowest Test Total | 78 all out – Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 2003 |
| Matches Won Batting First | 4 out of 14 Tests |
| Matches Won Bowling First | 5 out of 14 Tests |
| Draws | 5 |
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