SOUTH Africa remain in with a chance of securing a series draw in Pakistan after Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten stand of 94 left the Proteas 127-1 chasing 370 for victory after day four in Rawalpindi. Markram (59no) and Van der Dussen (48no) rallied the Proteas after Dean Elgar (17) fell with the score on 33 and the tourists will require a further 243 runs on day five to ensure the two-match series ends tied at 1-1. Pakistan had appeared strong favourites after making 298 in their second innings – wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan (115no) hitting a maiden Test ton as he lifted his side from the alarming position of 76-5 on day three. The home side were buoyed further when Elgar chased a wide delivery from Shaheen Afridi and was caught behind by Rizwan but Markram and Van der Dussen’s alliance has left the game fascinatingly poised.

Opening batsman Markram took 22 balls to get off the mark but then reached his fifth Test fifty from 71 balls, while No 3 Van der Dussen is two runs shy of a sixth Test match half-century.
Proteas left-arm spinner George Linde earlier completed his maiden five-wicket haul in his third Test when he bowled Pakistan’s last man Shaheen for four.
Pakistan had resumed on 129-6, leading by 200, but Rizwan received excellent support from the tail, while the hosts were aided by some sloppy South Africa fielding.
Yasir Shah (23) was dropped twice, once by Linde and once by Quinton de Kock, while he put on 53 with Rizwan for the eighth wicket.
Nauman Ali then scored 45 off 78 balls in a ninth-wicket partnership of 97 with Rizwan – the No 10 batsman striking six fours and two sixes.
Rizwan managed 15 fours in his excellent knock as he became the seventh wicketkeeper-batsman from Pakistan to register a Test hundred. (Sky Sports)

PAKISTAN 1st innings 272
South Africa 1st innings 201
Pakistan 2nd innings
Imran Butt lbw Kagiso Rabada 0
Abid Ali c Quinton de Kock b Keshav Maharaj 13
Azhar Ali lbw George Linde 33
Babar Azam lbw Keshav Maharaj 8
Fawad Alam c Aiden Markram b George Linde 12
Mohammad Rizwan Not Out 115
Faheem Ashraf c Anrich Nortje b George Linde 29
Hassan Ali lbw Keshav Maharaj 5
Yasir Shah c Quinton de Kock b George Linde 23
Nauman Ali c Dean Elgar b Kagiso Rabada 45
Shaheen Afridi b George Linde 4
Extras 9b 0lb 2nb 0pen 0w 11
Total (102.0 overs) 298 all out
Fall of Wickets : 1-0 Butt, 2-28 Ali, 3-45 Azam, 4-63 Ali, 5-76 Alam, 6-128 Ashraf, 7-143 Ali, 8-196 Shah, 9-293 Ali, 10-298 Afridi
Bowling : Kagiso Rabada 14 – 3 – 34 – 2, Anrich Nortje 17- 7 – 57 – 0,
Keshav Maharaj 38 – 4 – 118 – 3, Wiaan Mulder 7 – 1 – 16 – 0 (2nb), George Linde 26 – 9 – 64 – 5. 2.46

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

SOUTH AFRICA 2nd innings
Aiden Markram Not Out 59
Dean Elgar c Mohammad Rizwan b Shaheen Afridi 17
Rassie van der Dussen Not Out 48
Extras 0b 0lb 3nb 0pen 0w 3
Total (41.0 overs) 127-1
Fall of Wickets : 1-33 Elgar
To Bat : du Plessis, de Kock, Bavuma, Linde, Maharaj, Rabada, Nortje, Mulder
Bowling : Shaheen Afridi 10 – 4 – 22 – 1 (2nb),
Hassan Ali 5 – 0 – 36 – 0 – (1nb), Nauman Ali 12 – 4 – 35 – 0,