Pakistan lose Babar, Rizwan in middle-order collapse to hand SA massive advantage

Pakistan 155 for 6 (Babar 58, Rizwan 46, Rabada 2-28) trail South Africa 615 by 460 runs

Pakistan lost their middle order on the third morning as South Africa took a massive step towards victory in the second Test and a sweep of the home summer. South Africa bagged 3 for 91 in the first session at Newlands, and with Saim Ayub out of the Test with an ankle fracture, effectively need three more wickets to end Pakistan’s first innings.

Babar Azam posted his highest score since December 2022, but became Kwena Maphaka‘s first Test wicket. Mohammad Rizwan played a poor stroke, while Salman Agha, who lamented the lack of turn, was victim to exactly that. Pakistan are still 460 runs behind, and 261 runs away from avoiding the follow-on.

Pakistan resumed on 64 for 3 against South Africa’s two premier bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. While Rabada concentrated on a fuller length, Jansen found extra bounce. Though both made things difficult for Babar and Rizwan, they were unable to remove them. Jansen hit Rizwan on the collar bone in the first 45 minutes as Rizwan attempted a one-armed pull, but he recovered to hit Jansen for four and six in the same over.

Babar brought up Pakistan’s hundred with an edge through the slips, and his fifty off the next ball, when he chopped Rabada over point. He looked well set when South Africa brought on the change bowlers. Maphaka came on from Rabada’s end and looked much less nervous than he did in his first three overs on day two, and started with an over of hard-length deliveries.

Maphaka struck in his second over, post the drinks break, when he angled one down leg, Babar followed it in an attempt to flick it off his hips, and edged to Kyle Verreynne. A joyous Maphaka took off in Imran Tahir-style, with his team-mates following in celebration. It was the third time since 2022 that Babar was strangled down leg, the joint-most by a Pakistan batter since then.

The Babar-Rizwan partnership was broken on 98, with responsibility falling to Rizwan to keep chipping away. He leaned into a cover drive, before Salman steered Maphaka off his hips and drove him through point, and it looked like Pakistan were settling again. Against the run of play, however, Rizwan advanced at Wiaan Mulder and tried to smash him down the ground, but under-edged on to his stumps.

Salman brought up the 150 with a straight drive off Maphaka, who was replaced by Jansen for a couple of overs before lunch. But the damage was done at the other end, where Keshav Maharaj drew Salman forward with one that drifted and turned past the outside edge. Verreynne reacted quickly to break the stumps, and South Africa took a huge advantage into lunch.

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket