Cricket

Veteran Test debutant strikes late blows for Pakistan

By AAP Newswire

Oct 22, 2025

Asif Afridi with teammates — Pakistan's Asif Afridi (c) celebrates with teammates after dismissing South Africa's Dewald Brevis. -AP

Two late wickets by a 38-year-old debutant spinner Asif Afridi have checked world champions South Africa's progress in the second and final Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi

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Left-armer Afridi (2-24) picked up the wickets of Tony de Zorzi (55) and had Dewald Brevis dismissed for his second duck of the series as South Africa slipped to 4-185 at stumps on day two.

The Proteas still trail Pakistan by 148 runs on an abrasive wicket where left-armer Keshav Maharaj earlier took 7-102 to dismiss the home team for 333 in the first session.

"I'm very happy for Asif, it's very late for him but at least he's got to play Test cricket," Pakistan middle-order batter Saud Shakeel said. "He has so much experience of playing in domestic cricket â€¦ and had a lot of success. When someone has built that base in domestic cricket, they don't find it too difficult at this level."

Tristan Stubbs and de Zorzi had thwarted Pakistan's spin challenge of Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Afridi for well over two hours with patient half centuries before Afridi got his first Test wicket when he trapped de Zorzi leg before wicket on the backfoot.

Afridi then found the shoulder of Brevis' bat and Salman Ali Agha took a smart catch as South Africa slipped to 171-4 and lost two wickets in space of four runs.

Stubbs, though surviving a sharp return chance to Khan, showed plenty of patience against the spinners and was unbeaten on 68 off 184 balls at the close. Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne will resume on 10.

Shaheen Shah Afridi had bowled an electrifying opening spell with the new ball and had Ryan Rickelton caught behind for 14. Captain Aiden Markram (32) survived two close lbw appeals against the left-arm fast bowler but he holed out to long-on when Khan was introduced in the 21st over.

Maharaj, who missed South Africa's series-opening loss at Lahore last week due to a groin injury, snared the last five Pakistan wickets for 15 runs in a dramatic Pakistan batting collapse before lunch. Off-spinner Simon Harmer had figures of 2-75 and pace bowler Kagiso Rabada returned 1-60.

Resuming Tuesday at 259-5, Shakeel (66) and Agha (45) extended their sixth-wicket stand to 70 runs before Pakistan's lower-order crumbled against Maharaj on a dry wicket.