New Delhi: A heated exchange unfolded on day three of the second Test between South Africa and Pakistan at Newlands when Wiaan Mulder bowled an aggressive ball to Babar Azam, hitting the Pakistan batsman.
The incident occurred in the 32nd over of Pakistan’s subsequent innings. Babar played a solid drive to the bowler and the bowler collected it on the follow-up before throwing it to the batsman.
vote
What do you think is the best format for attacking cricket?
The ball, which was far from accurate, hit Babar’s foot as he stood slightly outside the crease.
Afterwards, words were exchanged, and the atmosphere became tense, with players from both sides intervening and the referee stepping in to defuse the situation.
see:
Amid the drama, Babar maintained his composure and went on to play an impressive knock alongside captain Shan Masood. The duo put together an incredible 205-run opening stand against Pakistan and South Africa in Tests.
Masood’s unbeaten 102 and Babar’s fluent 81 showed Pakistan’s resilience as they fought to recover from a first-innings deficit of 421 runs.
However, Babar’s innings ended when he beat Marco Jansen with a gully 14 minutes before the end, once again missing out on his long-awaited century.
Despite the disappointment, his effort combined with Massoud’s century highlighted that there were no hidden fears on the pitch.
The second innings was a stark contrast to Pakistan’s first innings, where Babar (58) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) resisted briefly before collapsing.
Debutants Kwena Maphaka and Wiaan Mulder dismantled Pakistan’s middle order and left little behind.
By the end of day three, Pakistan were 213/1, trailing by 208 runs and their fighting spirit was reignited in a rollercoaster Test match.
Also Read: Shan Masood, Babar Azam register new record for Pakistan against South Africa
