Proteas on top in Pakistan after stunning lower-order batting heroics

By Nasri Alexander
22nd October 2025

A brilliant rearguard batting effort from Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj made sure the Proteas were on top after three days of the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.

The tourists resumed the third day on 185-4, still trailing by 148 runs on the first innings, but quickly slipped to 235-8 and looking in serious danger of conceding a big deficit.

Muthusamy and Maharaj had other ideas though as the pair mixed solid defence with calculated aggression to add a valuable 71 for the ninth wicket, the Proteas going to lunch on 285-8.

Maharaj lost his wicket on 30 after the interval when he was stumped off the bowling of left-arm spinner Noman Ali with the score 306-9, still 27 runs behind the home side's first innings total of 303.

Muthusamy was calmly going about his business at the other end and reached his second Test fifty off 88 balls.

Rabada came in at number 11 and immediately went on the attack, going to strike four sixes and reached a maiden Test half-century from just 38 deliveries.

The last batting pair amazingly went on to add 98 runs and took the Proteas over the 400-run milestone to be 404 all out before Rabada holed out for 71.

It was the highest score by a number 11 for the Proteas in Test cricket while 38-year-old left-arm spinner Asif Afridi finished with figures of 6-79 on debut for Pakistan.

Muthusamy's effort with the willow cannot be understated though as the allrounder walked off to warm applause after remaining unbeaten on 89.

The Proteas had a spring in their step when they came out to field in the final session with a healthy lead of 71, and it showed when they reduced the hosts to 16-3 in just the seventh over.

Simon Harmer got rid of Imam-ul-Haq and home skipper Shan Masood before Rabada had Abdullah Shafique caught by Marco Jansen at third slip.

Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel then added 44 for the third wicket before Harmer returned to the attack to remove Shakeel for 11.

Mohammad Rizwan joined his fellow senior teammate at the crease and took Pakistan to stumps on 94-4, a lead of just 23 runs, with Babar unbeaten on 49.