Rawalpindi, October 20, 2025 – Pakistan posted 259 runs for the loss of five wickets at the close of play on the first day of the second Test match against South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday.
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first on a dry and grassless pitch that offered little assistance to bowlers early on. Openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique faced a testing spell from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who consistently beat the bat. Imam was eventually dismissed by Simon Harmer, who bowled a sharp-turning delivery — one of the few that spun significantly all day.
Abdullah Shafique, despite being dropped multiple times on 0, 15, and 41, made the most of his luck. He went on to build a crucial 111-run partnership with Shan Masood for the second wicket. Masood looked solid and was dropped on 71 before falling short of a deserved century.
In the final session, Mohammad Rizwan fell to Rabada with the second new ball, but Saud Shakeel and Salman Agha steadied the innings, remaining unbeaten at stumps. With the second new ball only seven overs old, Pakistan will aim to push past 350 runs on Day 2.
Despite limited turn, spinners troubled batters late in the day, while South Africa’s bowlers maintained tight lines throughout sessions two and three. Notably, Senuran Muthusamy, who claimed 11 wickets in the first Test, bowled just four overs.
The pitch is expected to offer more assistance to spinners from Day 2 onward, setting up an intriguing battle when play resumes on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, at 5:00 AM GMT.