Just as the ghosts of Lahore seemed to be fading, a new specter in white emerged from the Rawalpindi dust to haunt South Africa. On a day that was steadily being sculpted by the tourists, debutant left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, with a name that carries the weight of Pakistani pace and extravaganza but a craft of beguiling slow flight, delivered a stunning final-session twist. His two wickets in three balls, including the vital scalp of the obdurate Tony de Zorzi, wrestled the momentum back for Pakistan, leaving South Africa at 185/4 and trailing by 148 runs in a contest that has suddenly been thrown wide open.
The day had begun with Pakistan hoping to build a fortress, resuming on 259/5. The architects were to be the calm and composed Saud Shakeel and the ever-reliable Salman Agha. But Keshav Maharaj, South Africa’s spin sentinel, had other ideas. He orchestrated a dramatic Pakistani collapse, slicing through the lower order to finish with a magnificent 7 for 102. The hosts lost their last five wickets for a paltry 17 runs, their total of 333 feeling considerably lighter than it had at dawn, a castle built on sand.
When South Africa batted, a sense of déjà vu threatened to descend. The openers navigated the early exchanges with relative comfort, and even after both fell, a formidable 113-run partnership blossomed between Tristan Stubbs and the first-Test centurion, Tony de Zorzi. Stubbs, playing with a mix of grit and flair, progressed to an unbeaten 68, while de Zorzi, though less fluent, provided the stubborn resistance that defines winning Test innings. As the shadows lengthened, the Proteas were methodically dismantling Pakistan’s total, the game slipping into a rhythm that favored the visitors.
Then, with the poetic timing that only Test cricket can provide, the newcomer entered the fray. Asif Afridi, introduced into the attack, brought with him the hope of the home crowd. On the very stroke of stumps, he delivered a ball that skidded on to de Zorzi, trapping the centurion plumb in front for 55. The roar that erupted had not just claimed a wicket; it had shattered South Africa’s spine. Before the crowd had even settled, Afridi struck again, bamboozling the young Dewald Brevis for a golden duck.
In the space of three deliveries, the narrative was flipped. From a position of strength at 177/2, South Africa stumbled to the close at 185/4. The nightwatchman, Kyle Verreynne, survived, but the damage was done. Asif Afridi, with figures of 2/24, had not just announced his arrival on the international stage; he had thrown a hand grenade into South Africa’s plans, setting up a tantalizing third day where Pakistan, once again, holds the key to the spin.
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