South Africa captain Temba Bavuma delivered the captain's knock at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town, scoring his maiden Test century against Pakistan. His innings, laced with grit and resilience, helped the Proteas recover from an early collapse and take control on the opening day of the second Test.
Bavuma's century came after Ryan Rickelton's subsequent hundred as the pair forged a crucial partnership to stay of South Africa queues.
Bavuma's long-awaited century
Bavuma's journey to his first Test century vs Pakistan was characterized by patience and determination. He reached the milestone off 167 balls, hitting nine boundaries and two sixes along the way.
This was Bavuma's fourth Test century overall and an important one, considering the context of the game. His knock also took him past 500 career runs against Pakistan in Test cricket.
The South African captain showed immense composure as he came into bat with his side in trouble at 72/3. Alongside Rickelton, Bavuma navigated through Pakistan's potent attack to ensure South Africa remained in the driver's seat.
Rickelton leads the fight back
Earlier in the day, Ryan Rickelton set the tone for South Africa with his brilliant hundred. After the top order faltered, Rickelton took charge, anchoring the innings with authority.
The left-hander brought up his second Test century in style, smashing boundaries around the park. His partnership with Bavuma turned the tide for the hosts as they shared a two-century stand to rescue South Africa from a precarious position.
Rickelton eventually fell for 123, but his knock laid a solid foundation for South Africa to build on.
Early collapse saved by middle order heroics
South Africa's growth started with promise but quickly unraveled after a strong start. The opening pair put on 61 runs before Pakistan struck three times in a row.
Aiden MarkramWiaan Mulder and Tristan Stubbs were dismissed in the space of 11 runs, leaving the hosts at 72/3. Pakistani bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi, seemed poised to cause a dramatic collapse.
However, Rickelton and Bavuma had other plans. The pair came in, soaking up the pressure and gradually shifting the momentum in South Africa's favour.
At the end of Day 1, South Africa stood at a commanding 316/4 after 80 overs. Bavuma, who was unbeaten on 100 at one stage, was eventually dismissed by Salman Ali Agha for 106.
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