In a dramatic twist that has set up a thrilling fourth day, South Africa's bowling unit staged a remarkable comeback in the final session to leave Pakistan's chase of 233 runs in serious jeopardy at Newlands, Cape Town.
The visitors, who seemed to be building momentum at 70/1, suffered a stunning collapse in the evening session, losing three crucial wickets for just 38 runs to finish the day at a precarious 108/4.
Pakistan's Chase Derailed by Clinical South African Bowling
Pakistan's innings began with promise as their openers navigated the initial overs cautiously. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Keshav Maharaj broke through, triggering what would become a disastrous period for the visiting team.
The Proteas' pace attack, led by Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, exploited the deteriorating pitch conditions perfectly, extracting both bounce and movement to trouble the Pakistani batsmen consistently.
Babar Azam's Crucial Wicket Turns the Tide
The biggest blow came when Pakistan's captain and batting mainstay Babar Azam fell for 24 runs, caught brilliantly by Keegan Petersen off Rabada's bowling. This dismissal proved particularly damaging, coming at a time when Pakistan desperately needed their skipper to anchor the innings.
Earlier in the day, South Africa had been bowled out for 176 in their second innings, with Aiden Markram's fighting 51 emerging as the standout performance. Pakistan's bowling attack, spearheaded by their pace trio, had done exceptionally well to restrict the hosts to a manageable target.
Match Poised for Nail-Biting Conclusion
With Saud Shakeel (9*) and nightwatchman Hasan Ali (0*) at the crease, Pakistan still require 125 runs with only six wickets remaining. The fourth day promises high drama as both teams understand the significance of the first session.
South Africa will be looking to wrap up the tail early, while Pakistan will be hoping their lower order can produce something special to chase down the remaining runs and level the series.
