RAWALPINDI – Pakistan have handed a fighting target of 370 runs to SouthAfrica courtesy a brilliant unbeaten century by wicketkeeper batsmanMohammad Rizwan.
Linde dismissed tailender Shaheen Afridi to set up a target of 370 runs forSouth Africa.
Led by Linde, who took five wickets to put Pakistan on the back foot in thesecond Test match at Rawalpindi, the South African spin attack tookadvantage of the pitch and dismissed Pakistani batsmen to put the home sideunder pressure earlier on day 3.
On Saturday, Pakistan closed the day on 129-6 with an overall lead of 200and four wickets intact on a tacky Rawalpindi stadium pitch which hascracks to help slow bowlers.
Linde (3-12) and Maharaj (2-74) rattled Pakistan´s top order before FaheemAshraf (29) and Mohammad Rizwan (28 not out) saved Pakistan´s blushesduring their 52-run sixth wicket stand.
Linde removed Ashraf caught in covers, leaving Hasan Ali not out on naughtwhen bad light ended the game.
The day could have ended in South Africa´s domination had Ashraf and Rizwannot been dropped off the two spinners.
Ashraf was yet to get off the mark when Dean Elgar grassed an edge offLinde in slips while Rizwan was four when Rassie van der Dussen let off asharp chance off Maharaj.
Pakistan would hope another 50 runs on day four could win them the matchand the series, having won the first Test in Karachi by seven wickets.
Hasan said batting wouldn´t be simple given the conditions.
“Even chasing 200 won´t be easy on this pitch,” he said. “We will try toget to 240 to 250 and with our spinners it won´t be easy.”
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The highest target chased in the previous ten Tests at this venue is 220which Sri Lanka chased to beat Pakistan by two wickets in 2000.
Linde said South Africa were “hungry to win”.
“Obviously we have to win this Test to level the series,” he explained. “Ithink anything under 300, we will take that for a chase.”
Earlier, Hasan´s 5-54 — his second five wicket haul in Tests — restrictedSouth Africa´s first innings to 201, giving the home team a lead of 71.
Pakistan had made 272 in their first innings, but South Africa reduced themto 42-2 by tea.
Pakistan lost newcomer Imran Butt — managing just 36 in four innings ofhis first series — in the fifth over, leg-before to pacer Kagiso Rabadafor duck.
Butt´s partner, Abid Ali fell caught behind off Maharaj for 13, ending upwith 33 in the series to highlight Pakistan´s top order woes.
Azhar, on 11, survived a confident leg-before appeal off Maharaj only tosee the referral showed it was the umpire´s call. -APP/AFP
