Centurion, December 28, 2024 – In a gripping day of Test cricket at SuperSport Park, Pakistan’s bowlers delivered a late burst that left South Africa precariously placed at 27 for 3, still 121 runs shy of their target of 148. With three wickets falling in the final 40 minutes of play, the match remains delicately balanced heading into the final day.
South Africa Rocked by Late Pakistan Bowling Blitz
South Africa appeared to be in firm control after bowling Pakistan out for 237 in their second innings, courtesy of a six-wicket haul from Marco Jansen (6 for 52). However, Pakistan’s seamers, led by Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad, produced a fiery spell under gathering clouds to drag their side back into contention.
Abbas set the tone by trapping Tony de Zorzi lbw with a delivery that jagged back sharply, a decision Pakistan successfully overturned on review. Shahzad followed suit, pinning Ryan Rickelton in front with a ball that seamed back viciously. The biggest scalp of the evening came when Abbas dismissed Tristan Stubbs, with Pakistan again overturning the on-field decision. The sharp, probing spells from Abbas (2 for 3) and Shahzad ensured South Africa ended the day with frayed nerves.
Jansen’s Third Five-For Adds to Growing Test Record
Jansen’s blistering spell dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup, exposing their vulnerability. Despite admitting to struggles with rhythm and consistency, Jansen exploited Pakistan’s poor shot selection with precision. Babar Azam, who registered his first Test fifty in nearly two years, perished immediately after the milestone – slicing a wide delivery straight to deep point. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha soon followed, undone by Jansen’s relentless line and length.
This marks Jansen’s third five-wicket haul in Test cricket and his second-best figures, trailing only his remarkable 7/13 against Sri Lanka last month in Durban. His career stats now boast an impressive bowling average of 20.74, with an economy rate of 3.45 and a strike rate of 36.
Test now on a knife edge
Saud Shakeel’s gritty 84 was the lone bright spot for Pakistan, anchoring the innings as wickets tumbled around him. Shakeel attempted to shepherd the tail but fell lbw to a full toss from Jansen, a moment the South African seamer described with laughter as a “missed yorker by a shin’s length.”
Despite Jansen’s success, South Africa’s batters found themselves in familiar trouble against the new ball. “The three wickets they got were good balls, so it’s not like we threw our wickets away,” Jansen reflected. “It’s about surviving the new ball. Once it gets older, batting becomes easier. But with the new ball, you can expect movement – sometimes it shoots up, sometimes it stays low. That’s the challenge.”
With South Africa needing 121 runs and Pakistan hunting seven more wickets, the final day promises an enthralling conclusion. Both sides have shown flashes of brilliance interspersed with lapses in execution, setting the stage for a tense finish in the battle for critical World Test Championship points.
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