Pak vs SA: Proteas dominate opening day of 2nd test, reach 316-4

CAPE TOWN: South Africa ended the first day of the second Pak vs SA Test match on a commanding note, posting 316 runs for the loss of 4 wickets.

Rassie van der Dussen led the charge with a brilliant 176, while David Bedingham remained unbeaten on 4 at stumps.

Earlier in the innings, South African captain Temba Bavuma contributed a solid 106. He was dismissed by Salman Ali Agha when South Africa was at 307.

Opener Aiden Markram had just managed 17 runs when a delivery by Khurram Shahzad showed him the exit door.

For Pakistan, Salman Ali Agha took two wickets, while Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad got one each.

South Africa also got 8 runs from extras during the 80 overs of play.

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With a strong foundation set, proteas are hoping to complete their whitewash of Pak vs SA series of two test matches after they won the first test earlier.

SAIM AYUB INJURY

Saim Ayub was injured in the seventh over after Ryan Rickelton hit a delivery from Mohammad Abbas. Ayub attempted to act as the relay fielder after Aamir Jamal stopped the ball from reaching the boundary at deep third. However, Ayub would lose balance, suffering a fall which injured his ankle. Physio came out to assess the situation and Ayub was taken off the field.

For the Cape Town Test, Green Shirt decided to exclude Naseem Shah – the only change made to the Pakistan’s squad.

Mir Hamza replaced Naseem Shah. The 32-year-old bowler has only played in six test matches, across which he took 12 wickets, with his best figures coming against Australia in 2023, when he dismissed six batters in total, four of which he sent off in the second innings.

Hamza has also taken 459 wickets in the 119 first class matches he’s played.

Naseem took a total of four wickets in the first test against South Africa, while conceding 126 runs.

The remainder of the squad remained the same.

PAKISTAN’S PLAYING XI: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Abbas, and Mir Hamza