Pakistan stage tremendous fightback

Asad Shafiq finished the session unbeaten on 73 © AFP

Shan Masood and Asad Shafiq staged a brave fightback in a wicketless period of play that fetched Pakistan 140 runs in the second session of Day 3, which came at a rate over five. The pair was clinical, seeing off the tough period early on despite having lost two quick wickets, and then consolidating as Pakistan went into Tea in Newlands on 177 for 3, eating into South Africa's lead and bringing it down to below 100.

However, just on the brink of the break, Dale Steyn got a hint of movement that forced out an edge off Masood, which was taken by Quinton de Kock, and broke a stand worth 132. Steyn had set him up perfectly for the wicket. He persisted on the fourth-fifth-stump line and forced the batsman to come forward. But he only ended up getting the edge, as Masood made his way back for 61. Shafiq, however, remained unbeaten on 71, getting to a half-century off just 56 balls. Babar Azam, too, helped himself to a couple of boundaries before the end of the session, with Pakistan just 77 behind.

It was Pakistan's highest partnership this series. Masood, already under pressure coming into the series, batted exceedingly well under such circumstances. He showcased great discipline and his patience and resilience wore down South Africa's bowlers as he played sheet anchor which gave Shafiq the license to attack. The stand was a prime example of the combination of attack and defence to perfection as the South African four-pronged pace attack was out of ideas to dislodge the pair until Steyn struck.

The closest that South Africa came to picking up a wicket before that was Vernon Philander's trapping Masood leg-before that was adjudged out earlier in the session. However, a review from Pakistan found that the ball was going well down leg and missing, which gave him a life, after Philander had changed his angle by bowling round the wicket, as Steyn had earlier when he accounted for Imam ul Haq.

Earlier, it took Pakistan a little less than ten overs to wrap up South Africa's tail. South Africa's let-loose approach, however, saw them add 49 runs to their overnight lead of 205 before they were bowled out for 431. Pakistan in reply, lost two wickets for 37 before Lunch.

The pitch was spitting venom early on the third day with Mohammad Amir rattling the the stumps, twice, picking up three of South Africa's remaining four wickets, to finish with a four-wicket haul along with Shaheen Afridi, who had four himself. De Kock couldn't consolidate on his quickfire half-century, but cameos from the tail trio of Rabada, Steyn and Duanne Olivier, which had the ball cross the boundary line a fair few times, added handy runs to South Africa's lead with them scoring at almost run-a-ball.

South Africa got off to a great start, with their pacers posing questions to Pakistan's batsmen. They copped a few body blows as well in the bargain. Steyn provided them with an early breakthrough, striking in his second over, after changing the angle to Haq, prompting the left-hander to edge a full and wide one to Dean Elgar at slip. He should've left it alone, but the lack of it had Pakistan on the backfoot.

Runs didn't come easy in the first session, with South African bowlers right on the money, much in contrast to how they flowed in the second. Rabada struck with his first ball, trapping Azhar Ali plumb in front after having hit the crack that caused the South African batsmen much grief last morning. The ball stayed low and would've struck the middle pole. The crack played a part in the second session in parts as well, but didn't cause too much damage to Pakistan, who were positive in intent.

Brief scores: Pakistan 177 & 177/3 (Shan Masood 61, Asad Shafiq 73*; Dale Steyn 2-49) trail South Africa 413 (Faf du Plessis 103, Temba Bavuma 75, Quinton de Kock 59; Mohammad Amir 4-88, Shaheen Afridi 4-123) by 77 runs.