Burger’s firepower jolts Pakistan before late recovery
Nandre Burger tore through Pakistan’s upper order, claiming three early wickets, while Salman Agha guided a slow and cautious recovery as Pakistan reached 269-9 after electing to bat in the second ODI against South Africa at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Thursday.
The uneven and sluggish pitch made scoring challenging. Despite Pakistan’s seemingly modest total, they remain competitive midway through the match, with playing conditions expected to deteriorate further in the second innings.
Burger’s opening burst
Left-arm pacer Burger (4-46) made an instant impact, striking with the third ball when Fakhar Zaman gloved a pull shot to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. He picked up two more in his third over, removing Babar Azam (11), who edged to Donovan Ferreira at slip, and Mohammad Rizwan (4), bowled off an inside edge while trying to leave the delivery.
Steady rebuild by Salman and Saim
Opener Saim Ayub (53) steadied the innings, sharing a patient 92-run stand with Salman Agha. However, Saim’s innings ended dramatically when his powerful drive was caught one-handed by bowler Corbin Bosch in his follow-through.
Salman brought up his half-century from 82 balls, hitting three boundaries. His watchful resistance ended when Bosch delivered a perfect yorker, bowling him for 69 off 106 balls, including five fours.
“The home side remain very much in the contest at the halfway mark,” the match report noted, highlighting the importance of discipline and resilience on a tricky Faisalabad surface.
Author’s Summary
Pakistan’s innings, shaken early by Nandre Burger’s fiery spell, found stability through Salman and Saim’s partnership but ended short of dominance on a tough batting pitch.