In a gripping encounter at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, South Africa made a hesitant start in their chase of a record target of 277 runs against Pakistan’s formidable spin attack. By the end of day three, South Africa was at 51 for 2, needing 226 more runs to claim victory.
Match Summary
South Africa’s innings featured contributions from Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi, who scored 29 and 16 runs respectively at the close of play. This performance followed a difficult first innings where South Africa was bowled out for 269, allowing Pakistan to secure a 109-run lead.
Historic Target and Records
- The highest successful run chase in Lahore is 208, achieved by England in 1961.
- Pakistan’s Noman Ali claimed his ninth five-wicket haul, becoming the leading left-arm spinner for Pakistan in this regard.
Day Three Highlights
The third day saw a dramatic fall of 16 wickets due to the challenges posed by the dry pitch and variable bounce. Pakistan’s innings ended with them being all out for 167 runs in just over 46 overs, which set South Africa a daunting target.
Babar Azam led the scoring for Pakistan with 42 runs. He built a solid partnership of 55 runs with Saud Shakeel, who contributed 38 runs. Their second session saw Pakistan add 114 runs to their total before suffering a collapse in the final phase of their innings, losing their last six wickets for a mere 17 runs.
Key Bowling Performances
- Noman Ali: 6 wickets for 112 runs
- Sajid Khan: 3 wickets for 98 runs
- Senuran Muthusamy: 5 wickets for 57 runs in the second innings and 11 wickets overall in the match
- Simon Harmer: 4 wickets for 51 runs
As South Africa resumed their innings, de Zorzi, who began the day on 81, reached his century with a careful performance that included 10 fours and two sixes. His innings culminated at 104 runs off 171 balls before making way for the Pakistani bowlers.
Outlook
South Africa now faces the challenge of overcoming a record target in Lahore, which will require a strong performance against Pakistan’s spinners. With 15 overs remaining before stumps, the Proteas will seek to build momentum on day four as they chase this historic victory.
