Playing his 73rd Test, Kagiso Rabada scripted history at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Rabada scored the first fifty of his professional cricket career across formats. Batting at no.11, he scored 71 runs from 61 balls, sharing a 98-run partnership for the 10th wicket with Senuran Muthusamy who remained unbeaten for 89. Rabada registered the highest score by a no.11 South Africa batter. He broke a record that stood for 119 years.
The previous highest for a South Africa no.11 batter in Tests belonged to Bert Vogler. Against England in 1906 at Cape Town, he scored 62 runs. South Africa won the Test by an innings and 16 runs.
Rabada’s blazing maiden fifty
Rabada adopted the attacking approach right from the start. He hit Shaheen Afridi for a six over long-on and followed it with a lofted cover drive. He reached his maiden Test fifty from just 38 balls. He continued to hit big, extending South Africa's first innings lead on Day 2. After South Africa crossed the 400-run mark, Rabada became 38-year-old debutant Asif Afridi's sixth victim of the innings.
Huge partnership
On Day 2, South Africa were struggling for 235/8. Muthusamy shared a 71-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Keshav Maharaj. Noman Ali broke the partnership. Maharaj scored 30 runs from 52 balls. As a result of the 98-run partnership with Rabada, South Africa took a 71-run lead. Muthusamy's 89 from 155 balls included eight fours.
The 98-run partnership is South Africa's fourth-highest for the 10th wicket. The top spot belongs to AB de Villiers and Morne Morkel, sharing an unbeaten 107-run partnership in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan in 2010.
Pakistan bowlers struggle
Apart from Asif, no other bowler looked to trouble South Africa batters. Noman claimed two wickets whereas Sajid and Shaheen were expensive. Sajid went for 119 runs in 29 overs. Shaheen conceded 95 runs from 26 overs. Meanwhile, Asif became the oldest debutant to take a Test fifer.
Earlier, Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi scored half-centuries. They shared a 113-run partnership for the third wicket on Day 2.