Haq and Masood put on 161 for the second wicket after Kagiso Rabada struck early to dismiss Abdullah Shafique for a duck. The pair dominated until South Africa’s spinners turned things around. Prenelan Subrayen trapped Masood lbw, and Senuran Muthusamy removed Haq and Saud Shakeel in back-to-back deliveries before tea, reducing Pakistan from 163 for 1 to 199 for 5.
Babar Azam’s dismissal for 23 to Simon Harmer deepened the slump. However, Rizwan and Agha counterattacked in the final session with an unbroken 114-run stand, steering Pakistan to safety on a turning Gaddafi Stadium pitch.
Haq, playing his first Test since 2023, was disappointed to fall seven short of a century but insisted Pakistan are well placed, targeting a total beyond 400. South Africa’s bowlers rued missed chances, having dropped Haq on 72 and Masood on 61.
Harmer said the visitors aim to wrap up Pakistan’s innings quickly on Day 2, aware the surface will assist spinners later. The match marks the beginning of a new World Test Championship cycle, with South Africa defending their title after defeating Australia in June.
