PAK vs SA second Test: Two late wickets jolts South Africa progress towards Pakistan

Two late wickets by a 38-year-old debutant spinner Asif Afridi checked world champion South Africa’s progress within the second and remaining check towards Pakistan on Tuesday (October 21, 2025).

Left-armer Afridi picked up the wickets of half century-maker Tony de Zorzi (55) and Dewald Brevis obtained dismissed for his second duck of the collection as South Africa slipped to 185-4 at stumps on Day 2.

The Proteas nonetheless trails Pakistan by 148 runs on an abrasive wicket the place left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj earlier took 7-102 to dismiss the house crew for 333 within the first session.

Tristan Stubbs and de Zorzi had thwarted Pakistan spin problem of Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Afridi for effectively over two hours with affected person half centuries earlier than Afridi obtained his first check wicket when he trapped de Zorzi leg earlier than wicket on the backfoot.

Bangladesh on-field umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat dominated in favor of de Zorzi, however Pakistan which had already used two of its three tv referrals, efficiently went for the assessment.

Afridi then discovered the shoulder of Brevis’ bat and Salman Ali Agha took a sensible catch as South Africa slipped to 171-4 and misplaced two wickets in house of 4 runs.

Stubbs, taking part in in solely his twelfth check match, confirmed loads of persistence towards the spinners and was unbeaten on 68 off 184 balls as he raised South Africa hopes with a 113-run stand with de Zorzi earlier than Afridi’s twin strike jolted the Proteas. Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne will resume on 10.

Pakistan twice obtained possibilities to dismiss de Zorzi and Stubbs, who used their ft effectively towards the spinners. However, Pakistan did not go for lbw assessment earlier than tea when de Zorzi was on 5 after which Khan could not maintain onto a tough return catch when Stubbs got here down the wicket and drove again to the off-spinner.

De Zorzi was the extra aggressive of the 2 and adopted his century within the first check with a preventing half century off 86 balls and Stubbs reached his fifty in model by lofting Khan for a straight six.

Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled an electrifying opening spell with the brand new ball and had Ryan Rickelton caught behind for 14. Captain Aiden Markram (32) survived two shut lbws appeals towards the left-arm quick bowler however he holed out to long-on when Khan was launched within the twenty first over earlier than de Zorzi and Stubbs thwarted Pakistan with a century-stand.

Maharaj, who missed South Africa’s series-opening loss at Lahore final week as a result of a groin harm, snared the final 5 Pakistan wickets for 15 runs in a dramatic Pakistan batting collapse earlier than lunch. Off-spinner Simon Harmer had figures of 2-75 and tempo bowler Kagiso Rabada returned 1-60.

Resuming Tuesday at 259-5, Saud Shakeel (66) and Agha (45) prolonged their sixth-wicket stand to 70 runs earlier than Pakistan’s lower-order crumbled towards Maharaj on a dry wicket.

South Africa made amends for lackluster fielding on Day 1, after they dropped a number of catches, and held onto all their possibilities on Day 2.

Pakistan’s sixth-wicket pair mixed effectively within the first hour with left-hander Shakeel finishing his half century off 118 balls when he pushed Maharaj to sq. leg for 2 runs.

Marco Jansen and Rabada bowled to tight lengths and in addition missed the surface edges of each batters however could not get the breakthrough earlier than Maharaj struck simply earlier than the drinks break.

Maharaj’s sliding supply hit Agha on the shin as he went to play for the flip however missed the straight ball. In his subsequent over, Maharaj discovered the surface fringe of Shakeel’s bat and Markram, who had dropped Abdullah Shafique within the slip on Day 1, did not miss out.

Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was unveiled as Pakistan’s new ODI captain on Monday (October 20, 2025), was out with out scoring when he performed Maharaj throughout the road and was clear bowled.