South Africa need 243 runs to win the 2nd Test against Pakistan after ending Day 4 on 127/1

[BunnyRabbit]

Need 2 quick wickets and just attack with Yasir and Nauman. SA don't have much steel in this batting lineup that Smith, Kallis and AB possessed. Two quick wickets and hopefully they will crumble if we apply the pressure. Only QdK has that extravagant talent to produce a mercurial knock.

Yasir still the guy to win the match.

Really happy for Markram though. He really needed a good series. He is the only leader in the current bunch (Faf won't be leading again probs). Van der Dussen has been a nuisance to Pak since 2019. -_-

 

[Savak]

If our coaching staff tampered with Naseem's runup, they will play Abbas as a main spinner. They are so incompetent that teams should expect to win when they tour Pakistan.

Technology is such a blessing, it has made the game so much easier. Whoever started stepping out of the crease against Abbas is the reason he is out of the team. QDK came out and bashed our spinners because he knew that letting them settle was going to be a deathwish. I was actually surprised in the Pak vs NZ T20 series how we struggled to put away their low-quality pace attack.

Technology matters nowadays, it separates you from the rest. Kick Waqar Younis, he's tried to get Shaheen to follow the lullaby that just put the ball up there and it will do the rest. You need to bend your back and bang the ball into the pitch to generate a response, surely Waqar Younis of all people would know that.

Waqar himself is from the generation where they followed the moto "bas siraf Dil or jazba se khelo", "bas sahi jaga pe ball daalo aur baqi geind pe chor do", "bas siraf uupar wale se dua Karo".

The 2003 ODI WC debacle report when he was the captain of that side is very damning in the sense that the rest of the world is now playing the game with a science, data, analytics driven mindset based on which they devise their strategies against opposition batsmen, bowlers whereas our Pakistani team is still playing with the mindset that all this stuff about team meetings, planning, analyzing is boring stuff which they find over complicated and unnecessary.

One of the major reasons why our neighbours India are number one today is the fact they have respected the science, technology, data analytics, planning involved in the game with respect to the opposition and embraced it. They were the first team to expose Fakhar Zamans technical weaknesses, problems with the short pitched ball when they bowled to him in the UAE again after the CT 2017 final

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Pakistani people are so negative on this forum. You guys have a massive lead with a 5th day pitch to look forward to but some of you are declaring it a loss already?

Some of them are just plain haters cause they themselves are useless.

 

[Colorblind Genius]

This has been a terrific test series and we're in for a great day 4...and people here are infighting?

South Africa is an international side, of course they will be able to fight back and Pakistan's bowling attack isn't exactly great. An indictment of selection (no Abbas) and also a lack of experience from 3 of the 4 main bowlers.

Regardless, cricket has won here, as it is also winning in what looks to be a remarkable upset or fight back in India.

My guess is that it's only a matter of a couple of wickets which may happen before lunch, and this weak SA batting line will fall like flies.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

I'm really hoping that Pakistan mess this up.

If South Africa wins it must surely speed up the dismissal of Misbah, Waqar, Yasir Shah and Fawad Alam and allow a new team to be built.

What did your boy Babar do? Keep dreaming if you think Fawad gets dropped. Get a life dude.

 

[HappyWarsFan]

Lmao this thread is full of absolute jokers who already have said we lost the game. Seriously?

 

[UzmanBeast]

Waqar himself is from the generation where they followed the moto "bas siraf Dil or jazba se khelo", "bas sahi jaga pe ball daalo aur baqi geind pe chor do", "bas siraf uupar wale se dua Karo".

The 2003 ODI WC debacle report when he was the captain of that side is very damning in the sense that the rest of the world is now playing the game with a science, data, analytics driven mindset based on which they devise their strategies against opposition batsmen, bowlers whereas our Pakistani team is still playing with the mindset that all this stuff about team meetings, planning, analyzing is boring stuff which they find over complicated and unnecessary.

One of the major reasons why our neighbours India are number one today is the fact they have respected the science, technology, data analytics, planning involved in the game with respect to the opposition and embraced it. They were the first team to expose Fakhar Zamans technical weaknesses, problems with the short pitched ball when they bowled to him in the UAE again after the CT 2017 final

I agree completely. India are where they are because they respect technology, and utilize it to get advantages over other teams.

A lot of players on their teams were mediocre when they came on the scene, through data they were able to improve aspects of their techniques, which our players cannot do.

Genuinely braindead management that we have.

If India unearthed Shaheen Shah Afridi, he'd be a champion bowler because of the planning that is done against oppositions.

 

[Justcrazy]

SA will collapse here , their lower order has been very ordinary.

Right now SA is even worse than Bangladesh and WI , both can beat this SA team.

 

[Justcrazy]

There is certainly a chance that Pakistan will win, but my biggest point, which I mentioned many times before, is that we don't have the killer instinct as a team.

SAF should not even have had any hope of winning this match. We should have put our foot on their neck, and never let it go off. Now they are going to shove us under the carpet if this incompetence continues.

Bowling plans are our weakness right now, including our top order.

After this series is over, I will analyze this team and bring to light how mediocre of a team we have been, and I will share what I think is the only way to move forward.

Pakistan played two Matches , the best they could have done is win both games , Pakistan is good enough to beat any team except India in these conditions , what else can be done ?

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Lmao this thread is full of absolute jokers who already have said we lost the game. Seriously?

Yep, pessimists at their finest. First of all the reason why batting was good because they used the light roller which didn’t expose any cracks, tomorrow if the curator applied the heavy roller it will break open cracks which will make it tougher for SA to bat. Secondly besides these 2 at the crease nobody else will stand up and fight.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

SA will collapse here , their lower order has been very ordinary.

Right now SA is even worse than Bangladesh and WI , both can beat this SA team.

This SA side ain’t bad they got a decent bowling attack in Nortje and Rabada.

 

[Justcrazy]

Yep, pessimists at their finest. First of all the reason why batting was good because they used the light roller which didn’t expose any cracks, tomorrow if the curator applied the heavy roller it will break open cracks which will make it tougher for SA to bat. Secondly besides these 2 at the crease nobody else will stand up and fight.

Does the batting team not decide which roller to use ?

 

[Justcrazy]

This SA side ain’t bad they got a decent bowling attack in Nortje and Rabada.

In subcontinent conditions, they will struggle even against Afghans.

 

[MenInG]

South Africa need 243 more runs to win on the final day with nine wickets in hand after Mohammad Rizwan's ton helped Pakistan post a sizeable lead.

Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen defied the Pakistan bowlers to post an unbroken 94-run stand for the second wicket at the end of day four, giving South Africa hope of a successful chase.

The visitors started their chase cautiously, but were undone in the eighth over when Shaheen Shah Afridi provided Pakistan the first breakthrough by dismissing the experienced Dean Elgar. The batsman looked to drive and gave the simplest of catches to the wicket-keeper.

With South Africa at 33/1, Pakistan had a good chance of tightening the noose, but opener Markram and the new arrival at the crease Van der Dussen had other plans. The latter showed his intent with a four through square leg to get off the mark in the same over.

The pair showed great application and went on the defensive to deny Pakistan any wickets. Markram, especially, negotiated Afridi admirably after struggling to score against him. He went scoreless for 22 balls at one stage, but eventually stabilised to start taking runs again. He soon brought up his ninth fifty in Tests and his second in the series.

At the other end, birthday boy Van der Dussen gave him excellent support, ending the day on 48* before umpires called stumps a couple of overs early due to poor light.

Earlier in the day, Rizwan was brilliant, scoring his maiden Test hundred – a sublime 115* that helped Pakistan push their lead past 350. He began the day on 28 with Pakistan 129/6. The hosts lost Hasan Ali early but then Rizwan paired with Yasir Shah for a 53-run eighth-wicket stand, keeping the scoreboard ticking by rotating strike.

The batters survived a few chances – Yasir was put down by Quinton de Kock off Maharaj and Rizwan survived a caught behind review off George Linde, with Linde also putting down a tough catch off his own bowling giving Yasir another lifeline. The half-century stand was finally broken by Linde, although not before Rizwan brought up his fifty with a pull off Wiaan Mulder.

Yasir's wicket did little to distract Rizwan from his plan as he partnered with Nauman Ali to continue milking runs. Nauman and Rizwan's ninth-wicket partnership lasted for 97 runs, with Nauman making a smart 78-ball 45 that featured six fours and two sixes.

Meanwhile, Rizwan became the seventh Pakistan wicket-keeper to score a century in Tests.

The hosts were eventually bowled for 298, setting South Africa a tough 370 to win.

https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2018422

 

[Shoaibbtt]

In subcontinent conditions, they will struggle even against Afghans.

Don’t know actually but that’s what pakistan should’ve applied match would’ve been different by end of day.

 

[BakuGM]

Even chances on day 4 but Pakistan will win it given their spinners can pull this off.

 

[bilawal666]

Things are looking tricky for Pakistan on the final day. It'll take something special to get the remaining wickets on a flat pitch with what looks to be some pretty flat bowling. I just can't see another SA collapse happening.

 

[JimmyGetsBuckets]

Hopefully the pitch turns into a minefield

 

[Savak]

This is the perfect opportunity for the Pakistani team, think tank to adopt the Bharat Arun, Ravi Shastri off stump, middle stump line while packing the leg side. Put relentless pressure on the batsmen by making them play every delivery and drying up the runs at the same time, limiting their scoring, stroke play options putting them under pressure to take risks.

But of course Waqar probably is not even aware of the Bharat Arun, Ravi Shastri off side elimination tactics in Australia