SA vs PAK: Senuran Muthusamy Paves The Way For SA On Day 3

In a thriller of an SA vs PAK Test match at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, South Africa were fighting back from a position where Pakistan had threatened to escape early on. What started as a commanding one-sided position for Pakistan became a tough competition, due to the match-winning effort of left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy.

Pakistan’s Early Advantage

Pakistan batted first after winning the toss and used the helpful conditions of Day 1 to their advantage. The openers Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood laid the foundation with elegant starts, and Pakistan stacked up a dominant score. With South Africa’s spinners finding their rhythm late, the tourists were in for a catch-up game right from the start.

Muthusamy’s Spin Turns the Game In SA vs PAK

But Senuran Muthusamy, a man accustomed to coming from behind, had other thoughts. Frequently overshadowed by his left-arm spinning teammate Keshav Maharaj, Muthusamy has built a career by seizing slim opportunities with both hands.

With Pakistan riding at 199 for 2, the match seemed to be slipping beyond their grasp. But Muthusamy’s relentless consistency and slight variations ignited a collapse that would shift the tide. He picked up 11 of the next 18 Pakistani wickets in the next two days, doubling his career Test wicket count in the bargain.

Historic Collapse by Pakistan

Pakistani middle and lower order collapsed spectacularly. Having been in command with the advantage of a lead of 259 and six wickets in hand, they collapsed losing their last six wickets for a mere 17 runs. It was their third-steep six-wicket collapse in the decade, and it left the door open for South Africa.

Muthusamy ended with numbers that left him third on the list of top bowling returns at Gaddafi Stadium, behind only legends Abdul Qadir and Imran Khan.

De Zorzi and Rickelton Dig In

The battle wasn’t only with the ball. As Pakistan sought to close out the game, Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton put up South Africa’s fight with the bat. De Zorzi, who had previously plastered the game’s solitary century, played with aggression and control, particularly hoisting Noman Ali for a six in the early stages.

By stumps, the duo had accounted for two-thirds of South Africa’s overall runs in the game. They are central to any hopes South Africa might have of conducting a record chase.

“A partnership on a wicket like this is gold,” de Zorzi added.
“The start is the hardest but hopefully we can form a partnership and crack on.”

A Record Chase on the Cards?

With 226 runs remaining on a fading pitch, history isn’t in South Africa’s favor. Just one of the previous three finished Tests at Lahore had the chasing side succeed, and never has a total of this magnitude been chased successfully.

However, South Africa, inspired by the brave display of Senuran Muthusamy and a gritty batting effort, have kept Pakistan on the back foot well past when they had originally thought.

Key Takeaways:

Senuran Muthusamy took 11 wickets, turning the tide of the match.

Pakistan lost 6 wickets for 17 runs, one of their worst recent collapses.