Xtra Time Web Desk: George Linde’s maiden career five-for (64-5) followed by one of South Africa’s best batting performances of their tour to Pakistan thus far helped them reach stumps on day four of the second Test in an encouraging position in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen were at the heart of the action after sharing in an unbroken 94-run second-wicket partnership that took the Proteas to the close on 127 for one chasing a fourth innings target of 370.
That left them needing a further 243 on the final day with nine wickets still in hand, an excellent position considering what had transpired earlier on the penultimate day when Mohammad Rizwan’s first career century looked to have put the hosts out of sight.
But thanks to Markram’s ninth career 50, the opener was unbeaten on 59 off 131 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes), and van der Dussen’s 48 off 94 balls, the final day promised to be an intriguing one at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where the tourists were looking for a victory that would help them earn a share of the series.
Earlier the hosts were bundled out for 298 runs after starting Day 4 on 129/6. Rizwan spearheaded a remarkable recovery by first establishing a 53-run eighth-wicket stand with Yasir Shah (23) and then adding 97 alongside Nauman Ali (45) for wicket number nine to take the total close to the 300 run mark.