ISLAMABAD: An unbeaten 60-run partnership between captain Shan Masood and opener Abdullah Shafique guided Pakistan to 95-1 at lunch on the opening day of the second and final Test against South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan made a solid start as openers Imam-ul-Haq and Shafique added 35 runs for the first wicket. Imam, who looked in good touch, was bowled by Simon Harmer for 17 off 35 balls, beaten by a sharply turning delivery that clipped the top of off stump.
Skipper Shan Masood then joined Shafique in the middle, and the pair played cautiously before accelerating towards lunch. Both batters remained composed against the South African spin attack, steering Pakistan to safety at the first interval.
At lunch, Shafique was unbeaten on 37 off 82 balls with four boundaries, while Masood was batting on 38 off 63 deliveries, including one four and three sixes. Pakistan reached 95 for 1 in 30 overs, scoring at a run rate of 3.16.
Earlier, at the toss, Masood said the team preferred to bat first on a dry surface. Pakistan made one change, handing a debut to left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, who replaced Hasan Ali.
South Africa captain Aiden Markram confirmed two changes, bringing in Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj in place of Wiaan Mulder and Prenelan Subrayen, saying his side had “learned a couple of lessons from the first innings in Lahore.”
Lunch Day 1(30 overs): Pakistan 95-1
Abdullah Shafique 37, Shan Masood 38, Imam-ul-Haq 17
Fall of wicket: Imam-ul-Haq (b Harmer) 35/1 in 12.3 overs
