Rizwan’s heroics help hosts set Proteas tough target

By Abdul Mohi Shah

February 08, 2021

RAWALPINDI: South Africa Sunday stayed in the hunt for a big winning target following Mohammad Rizwan’s (115 not out) heroics that saw the wicketkeeper-batsman striking his maiden hundred in the second Test here at the Pindi Stadium.

The tourists finished the penultimate day at 127-1 requiring another 243 on the final day to upstage Pakistan’s plans of sweeping the series. Aiden Markram (58 not out) and Rassie van der Dussen (48 not out) gave a fresh ray of hope to the tourists to end the tough Test series on a winning note.

So far both the batsmen have put on 94 run for the unbroken second wicket and more importantly kept their team in the Test going the final day. It was Rizwan’s rearguard action that saw Pakistan scoring 298 in the second innings that at one stage looked like a far cry. His innings backed by bits and pieces by bowling all-rounders helped the hosts set up a big 370 runs winning target for South Africa. The fourth day of the Test, however, will be more remembered for exceptional batting display by Rizwan who came so close to scoring a hundred but never achieved the milestone during his previous 12 appearances. He finally met the success on the fourth day of his 13th Test with a cheeky single after consuming 263-balls, hitting 12 boundaries in the process. He ultimately struck 15 fours and finally ran out of partners when Pakistan’s total reached 298.

“This was my best ever innings as it was played at a time when chips were down and we were struggling to survive on Saturday evening. At that time doing all sort of tricks and surviving at the crease was becoming all the more difficult,” Rizwan said at the end of day’s play.

Together with Nauman Ali (45), Rizwan took the score from 196 to 293 for the ninth wicket, adding 97 crucial and making sure a mammoth victory target for South Africa. The stand broke the previous record of 80 runs for the ninth wicket scored by Azhar Mehmood and Shoaib Akhtar at Durban in 1998.

Rizwan slowly but steadily ensured Pakistan progress following the early fall of Hasan Ali (5) who was yet to score when the hosts resumed the fourth day at 129-6.

“Definitely the pitch was playing a bit better on the fourth day. I spent some tough time in the middle, Saturday afternoon, but found scoring a bit easier on Sunday,” Rizwan said.

Yasir Shah (23) also showed glimpses of a batsman-ship adding vital 53 for the eight wicket with Rizwan. But it was Nauman who played like a solid batsman during his 78-ball knock studded with six fours and two sixes.

“Everyone really contributed late in the innings, helping us get a good total in the second innings. Even getting a score of 200 looked difficult but at the end we succeeded in scoring 298 which surely was a big achievement,” Rizwan said.

Left-arm spinner George Linde (5-64) remained the pick of bowlers for the South Africa on a day where both the spinners and pacers conceded boundaries in numbers.

Markram and Dussen gave a ray of fresh life to the tourists as the duo played fluent strokes all around the corner following early loss of Dean Elgar (17) who got carried away after striking four boundaries during his brief 24-ball stay at the wicket. Markram’s unbeaten knock contained nine boundaries and two sixes. The pair at the crease would be needing extraordinary efforts today (Monday) to keep going like the way they did during the second session of play Sunday.

No team has ever achieved such a big victory target. Sri Lanka chased down 221 at the same venue almost 21 years back to achieve a win. Since then Pakistan spin-cum-pace attack always proved lethal in the fourth innings, a feat they need to repeat on Monday to keep Pakistan’s impressive home run intact.

Score Board

Pakistan won toss

Pakistan 1st innings 272 all out (Babar Azam 77, Faheem Ashraf 78*; A. Nortje 5-56)

South Africa 1st innings 201 all out (T. Bavuma 44; Hasan Ali 5-56)

Pakistan 2nd innings (overnight 129-6)

Imran Butt lbw b Rabada 0

Abid Ali c de Kock b Maharaj 13

Azhar Ali lbw b Linde 33

Babar Azam lbw b Maharaj 8

Fawad Alam c Markram b Linde 12

Mohammad Rizwan not out 115

Faheem Ashraf c Nortje b Linde 29