South Africa consolidated their position by destroying the Pakistani top order in the Pindi Test.

Pakistan started their second innings with a deficit of 71 runs and the top three batsmen returned to the pavilion with a total score of only 16.

Imam-ul-Haq 9, Abdullah Shafiq 6 and captain Shan Masood were out without scoring any runs.

With a partnership of 44 runs between Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel, Pakistan’s ten was almost able to cope when Saud Shakeel was dismissed for an individual score of 11.

By the end of the third day’s play, Pakistan had scored 94 runs for the loss of 4 wickets and had a lead of 23 runs over South Africa.

Babar Azam was at the crease with 49 and Mohammad Rizwan scored 16 runs.

For South Africa, Simon Harmer took 3 wickets and Kagiso Rabada took one wicket.

Earlier, South Africa started the third day at 185 for 4 when Kyle Vereen was caught by Mohammad Rizwan off the fourth ball of Asif Afridi.

Tristan Stubbs scored 76 and Simon Harmer scored 2 runs.

Debutant Asif Afridi had consolidated Pakistan’s position by taking five wickets, but Senoran Muthusamy played a career-best innings and weakened Pakistan’s grip on the match.

Muthusamy put on a partnership of 71 runs for the ninth wicket with Keshav Maharaj (30) and 98 runs for the tenth wicket with Rabada (71).

Kagiso Rabada became Asif Afridi’s sixth victim by scoring 71 runs, while Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 89 runs.

In response to Pakistan’s 333 runs, the South African team was all out for 404 runs in the first innings. South Africa has a lead of 71 runs over Pakistan.

For Pakistan, Asif Afridi took 6 wickets, Noman Ali took 2 wickets, while Shaheen Afridi and Sajid Khan took one wicket each.

Asif Afridi became the second left-arm spinner to take five wickets on debut for Pakistan.