(ESPNCRICINFO) – Pakistan posted their highest opening stand against South Africa as Shan Masood and Babar Azam put up solid resistance against the hosts on a flat track.
Masood went past 30 for the first time in nine innings, and went on to score his sixth Test hundred and the first by a Pakistan captain in South Africa, while Babar, opening in place of the injured Saim Ayub, made 81.
The pair took a significant chunk out of their first-innings deficit of 421. Pakistan are now 208 behind, with nine wickets standing.

South Africa’s five frontline bowlers were made to toil on a surface that remains good for batting despite showing signs of turn. They also bowled 23 no-balls across the two innings so far – 10 in the ongoing second innings alone – and will be disappointed with their ill-discipline. Their only second-innings success came late in the day when Babar chased a full, wide ball from Marco Jansen, and edged it to slip. Nightwatcher Khurram Shahzad accompanied Masood to the end of the day.
After dismissing Pakistan for 194 midway through the afternoon session, South Africa enforced the follow-on with an eye on wrapping things up early. But Kagiso Rabada and Jansen both erred on the side of too full, and only created one chance between them. Rabada found Masood’s edge with the Pakistan captain on 18, but the ball flew through the vacant third slip region, leaving Rabada on his haunches.

The change bowlers, Wiaan Mulder and Kwena Maphaka, barely threatened, and Pakistan went to tea on 80 without loss. Rabada and Keshav Maharaj resumed for the evening session, and while Rabada tried a short-ball tactic, Maharaj found turn, but Pakistan played them both well. Masood’s fifty came when he pulled Rabada through mid-wicket, and Babar’s came up with a drive off Jansen. It was the second time in the day that Babar raised his bat to a half-century, after also getting to the milestone in the first innings, and his third successive fifty on this tour.

As both settled in, South Africa’s frustration boiled over, and Mulder flung the ball back at Babar as he stepped out of his crease to defend. He hit Babar on the shin, and words were exchanged before Umpire Dharmasena stepped in to cool things down. The only other bit of drama came when Rabada was convinced he had Masood lbw when he hit him on the knee roll, and South Africa were considering a review, but Rabada had overstepped.