Captain Shan Masood led a resilient fightback for Pakistan in the second Test against South Africa at Newlands, scoring an unbeaten century to guide his team through a challenging follow-on innings. Despite trailing South Africa by 421 runs in the first innings, Pakistan ended the third day with 213 for one, still needing 208 more runs to avoid a follow-on defeat.

Masood, who remains a steady figure at the top of the order, scored his sixth Test century, remaining not out on 102. Alongside him, Babar Azam provided strong support with a knock of 81, marking his third consecutive half-century in the ongoing series. The duo shared a partnership of 205 runs—the highest for Pakistan in Tests against South Africa and more than their team's total in the first innings, which stood at a mere 194. This strong stand was a clear sign of Pakistan’s determination to make a comeback.

However, Babar Azam's search for a century continues. He was dismissed just 14 minutes before the close of play when Marco Jansen caught him in the gully, continuing his run of near-misses since his last century in August 2023.

The day had begun with a promising outlook for Pakistan, as Babar and Mohammad Rizwan resumed their innings at 64 for three. The pair weathered the early storm from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, ensuring they saw through the first hour with relative ease. But Babar’s departure, caught behind off debutant Kwena Maphaka for 58, set off a domino effect that led to Pakistan losing wickets quickly. Rizwan also departed soon after, bowled by Wiaan Mulder, leaving the rest of the batting order with little resistance.

Despite the earlier setbacks, Masood and Babar’s stand in the second innings demonstrated the resilience and skill needed to tackle a pitch that had earlier allowed South Africa to post a mammoth total of 615. The pair’s positive stroke play and sharp running between the wickets kept the scoreboard ticking.

The tensions in the field heightened when Wiaan Mulder, frustrated by Babar’s firm return shot, threw the ball at the batsman, narrowly missing him. The incident sparked a verbal exchange involving both teams, with the umpires stepping in to restore order.

Masood’s brilliant century came off 159 balls, with 14 boundaries, reminding everyone of his composed yet aggressive batting style. As Pakistan closes in on the fourth day, they have their hopes pinned on Masood’s solid foundation to continue building the fightback.