Pakistan resumed their first innings on the second day of the opening Test against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, starting with their overnight total of 313 for 5.
Mohammad Rizwan (62*) and Salman Agha (52*) remained unbeaten after building a solid stand of 114 runs for the sixth wicket.
On the first day, Pakistan dominated both the morning and evening sessions but stumbled in the afternoon, losing three wickets. The hosts got off to a nervous start as Abdullah Shafique (2) was trapped by Kagiso Rabada in the very first over.
Skipper Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq then steadied the innings with a crucial 161-run partnership for the second wicket, easing the early pressure.
Imam, who returned to Test cricket after 2023, celebrated his 10th Test fifty, while Shan reached his 12th.
The partnership was broken when Prenelan dismissed Subrayen Shan for 76 off 147 balls, including nine fours and a six, leaving Pakistan at 163-2 in 47.3 overs.
Babar Azam came in next and quickly found his rhythm, setting boundaries from the start.
He also achieved a major milestone in the ICC World Test Championship, becoming the first Pakistani and eighth overall batsman to surpass 3,000 runs in the history of the tournament.
Before tea, Senuran Muthusamy gave South Africa two crucial wickets in successive deliveries. Muthusamy removed Imam-ul-Haq, who made a brilliant 93 off 153 balls, and Saud Shakeel for a first-ball duck, leaving Pakistan at 199-4 in 57 overs.
After the break, Babar Azam fell for 23 off 48 balls with Simon Harmer claiming his wicket.
In the final session of day one, Salman Ali Agha and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan steadied Pakistan’s innings with a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket.
Rizwan, who showed composure under pressure, scored his 12th Test half-century, while Salman Ali Agha also reached a fifty, his 10th in red-ball cricket.
The duo shared a partnership of over 100 as the day ended in Pakistan’s favour, with Rizwan unbeaten on 62 and Agha on 52.
For South Africa, Senuran Muthusamy claimed two wickets, while Kagiso Rabada, Prenelan Subrayen and Simon Harmer took one wicket each.
