Senuran Muthusamy tore through Pakistan’s lower order in a stunning spell during the second half of the first session, helping South Africa bowl the visitors out for 378. The left-arm spinner claimed career-best figures of 6 for 117, including three wickets in a single over, as Pakistan crumbled from a strong overnight position to lose their final five wickets for just 16 runs.
Much of the hard work for Pakistan had been completed earlier in the day by Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, whose sixth-wicket partnership stretched to 163. The pair looked poised to push the total well past 400, especially after Agha launched a string of boundaries and sixes against Simon Harmer and Muthusamy.
Pakistan had begun confidently. Agha swept behind square and then launched Harmer straight over the sightscreen. He repeated the feat with another six and a boundary off Muthusamy, appearing in complete control as he neared a century. Rizwan’s departure, however, triggered a collapse. An extra bit of bounce took the shoulder of the bat and a catch behind ended his resistance, finally breaking the record stand.
Muthusamy then bowled a delivery of remarkable quality to dismiss Noman Ali, giving it air and turning it past the edge into off stump. The very next ball accounted for Sajid Khan, who was drawn forward and edged to Aiden Markram at slip. It was the second time in the innings Muthusamy had taken two in two.
Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi attempted to rebuild, but Afridi’s attacking instinct brought his downfall as he charged Muthusamy and was bowled. That left Agha in danger of being left stranded in the 90s. Desperate to reach three figures, he took on Prenelan Subrayen but mistimed his shot across the line, offering a simple catch to Muthusamy at the boundary. He departed for 93, just as Imam-ul-Haq had the day before, seven runs short of a century.
