Twitter Reactions: Hasan Ali's fifer keeps Pakistan ahead despite South Africa's fight back

Pakistan finished the day 129/6, with a 200-run lead in hand.

By Pratyay Tiwari

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Hasan Ali
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Hasan Ali. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

Pakistan is well on track to post a winning target against South Africa in the second Test at Rawalpindi, on the back of a handy first-innings lead on the third day. The day began with some steadfast attitude from the visitors against immensely disciplined Pakistan pacers, who managed to exploit the uneven bounce and swinging conditions to the best effect.

Shaheen Afridi was the first one to strike as he removed Quinton de Kock, who inside-edged one straight to his stumps. The hosts yelled for an lbw shout soon after de Kock’s exit, which Temba Bavuma managed to escape after reviewing it. Despite Pakistan pushing Bavuma and Wiaan Mulder under some serious pressure, they seemed happy in keeping their feet fixed, even if it came at the cost of scoring barely anything. Mulder got into his groove against Yasir Shah, Nauman Ali and Faheem Ashraf had scripted a string of maidens.

Hasan Ali’s fifer gives Pakistan a handy lead

By the looks of it, it was not hard to decipher the visitors’ plan of holding themselves in for as long as possible, and Bavuma managed to succeed too, although the sleep-inducing, patient 135-ball partnership between them came to an end as Mulder attempted a fatal second run.

In stark contrast to the previous stand, the new man George Linde came out in a mood his own, as he counterattacked Shah, hitting him for a couple of fours and six. Linde did not shy away from taking on Hasan Ali, although his entertaining clip did not last too long as a slow off-cutter from Ali deceived him.

It did not take long for Pakistan to seal South Africa’s first innings 71 short of what they needed to square off, as Keshav Maharaj fell soon after Lunch as Hasan Ali’s fourth. There was little to expect from Kagiso Rabada, who ran himself out for a 10-ball duck, moments before Hasan picked his fifth when he knocked over Anrich Nortje.

Spin brings back South Africa in the hunt

Disappointed after giving more than a handy lead to their opponents, South Africa discovered something for them to cheer as Kagiso Rabada was parsimoniously disciplined, bowling one maiden after another in tandem with Nortje.

He had the first moment of success when Imran Butt failed to connect one that jagged slightly in after pitching and stayed low to trap him on the front. Both the Alis, Abid, and Azhar found some scoring opportunities off Maharaj, although the spinner struck when Abid Ali’s swept one straight in the hands of de Kock behind.

Pakistan continued to lose wickets as the spinners joined the party, claiming the crucial scalps of Babar Azam – who fell immediately after the break to Maharaj – and Fawad Alam – who inside-edged Linde to the man at short leg.

Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf, in a bid of recovery, joined hands as they upped the scoring rate by picking a few boundaries off both pacers and spinners. Their promising partnership had put them on the road of recovery, although Linde struck at the brink of stumps to get his third as Faheem Ashraf perished after loosely driving the spinner to the backward point fielder.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

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