Pakistan concludes on 259-5 as South Africa stages a fightback.

Rawalpindi Test Day-1 – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – The opening day of the second and final Test between Pakistan and South Africa ended with Pakistan scoring 259/5 at stumps in their first innings. The match, played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, saw both sides fight hard as the Proteas took key wickets in the later sessions.

When play resumed after tea, Pakistan stood at 177/3 in 62 overs. Shan Masood and Saud Shakeel kept the innings steady, adding runs carefully while keeping the scoreboard moving. Masood, looking in fine touch, moved closer to a well-deserved century as Pakistan crossed the 200-run mark in the 70th over.

The partnership added 45 valuable runs for the fourth wicket before Keshav Maharaj struck again, dismissing Shan Masood for 87 off 176 balls, including two fours and three sixes. Pakistan slipped to 212/4 in 73.3 overs. Mohammad Rizwan then joined Saud Shakeel, building a brief stand before being caught by Kagiso Rabada for 19 runs from 39 balls, which featured two boundaries.

At the close of play, Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 42 from 105 balls, while Salman Ali Agha was not out on 10 from 25 deliveries. For South Africa, Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj each picked up two wickets, while Kagiso Rabada claimed one.

Earlier in the morning, Pakistan made a strong start as openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique found boundaries with confidence, adding quick runs. Their 35-run opening stand was broken when Imam was bowled by Simon Harmer for 17 off 35 balls in the 13th over. Shafique continued to play confidently, mixing solid defense with calculated aggression.

Captain Shan Masood joined Shafique and immediately brought energy to the crease, smashing two big sixes as Pakistan reached 65/1 after 20 overs. The duo formed a 50-run partnership by the 25th over, showing calm and control as lunch approached.

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After lunch, with Pakistan at 95/1, both batsmen continued to build steadily. Masood reached his 13th Test fifty, while Shafique played patiently to bring up his sixth half-century. Together, they added an impressive 111 runs for the second wicket, putting the South African bowlers under pressure.

However, South Africa found the breakthrough when Harmer dismissed Shafique for 57 off 146 balls, which included four boundaries. Soon after, Babar Azam joined Masood but could not stay long, scoring 16 off 22 balls before Keshav Maharaj dismissed him. Pakistan were then 167/3 in 56 overs, setting the stage for an interesting second day of play.