Shan Masood and Babar Azam have created history together in the second match of the series between Pakistan and South Africa in Cape Town. Till stumps on the third day of the second Test of the series, Pakistan has scored 213 runs at the loss of one wicket in the second innings. Pakistan is still 208 runs behind South Africa on the basis of first innings.
South Africa had made a big score of 605 in the first innings, but after this Pakistan’s first innings was reduced to 194 runs, after which South Africa gave follow-on to Pakistan. During this, Babar Azam and Shan Masood gave a great start to Pakistan and they added 205 runs for the first wicket. During this period, this opening pair made many records in its name.
Babar Azam and Shan Masood during 205 runs partnership for the first wicket (Photo: AFP)
This happened for the first time in Pakistan’s test history
Babar Azam and Shan Masood added 205 runs for the first wicket. This is the highest partnership for any wicket during follow-on in Pakistan’s Test history. Earlier this record was in the name of the pair of Hanif Mohammad and Saeed Ahmed, who had made a partnership of 154 runs against West Indies in 1958. Whereas in this list, now at the third place is the partnership of 152 runs by Hanif Mohammad and Imtiaz Ahmed against West Indies in 1958.
Pakistan’s biggest partnership during follow on
- 205 – Shan Masood & Babar Azam vs South Africa, Cape Town, 2025
- 154 – Hanif Mohammad and Saeed Ahmed vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 1958
- 152 – Hanif Mohammed and Imtiaz Ahmed vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 1958
- 148 – Saeed Anwar and Salim Malik vs Australia, Rawalpindi, 1994
- 137 – Imtiaz Ahmed and Mushtaq Mohammed vs England, The Oval, 1962
Apart from this, this is the second highest partnership for any wicket in the Test between Pakistan and South Africa. The record for the highest partnership in Test between Pakistan and South Africa is in the name of Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan, who scored 219 runs in Cape Town in 2013. At the third place in this list is the pair of Asad Shafiq and Musabalah, who made a partnership of 197 runs in Dubai in 2013.
Babar-Shan during the record partnership (Photo: AFP)
Big record in test history now in the name of Babar-Masood
The record of the biggest partnership for the first wicket after follow-on in Test history is now in the name of Shan Masood and Babar Azam. Earlier this record was in the name of the African pair of Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie, who made a partnership of 204 runs against England at Lord’s in 2008. At third place in this list is the Bangladeshi pair of Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, who made a partnership of 185 runs after getting follow-on against England at Lord’s in 2010.
Highest opening partnership during follow on
- 205 – Shan Masood & Babar Azam (Pakistan) v South Africa, Cape Town, 2025
- 204 – Graeme Smith & Neil McKenzie (SA) v England, Lord’s, 2008
- 185 – Tamim Iqbal & Imrul Kayes (Bangladesh) v England, Lord’s, 2010
- 182 – Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan (England) v West Indies, St. John’s, 2004
- 176 – Graham Gooch & Michael Atherton (England) v India, The Oval, 1990
If we talk about the match, the African team won the toss and decided to bat in the first innings. After this, the African team scored 615 on the basis of century innings by Ryan Rickelton, captain Temba Bavuma and Kyle Varin. Ryan Rickelton scored 259 runs in 343 balls with the help of 29 fours and 3 sixes. While Temba Bavuma scored 106 runs and Kyle Verreen played an inning of 100 runs. Mohammad Abbas took 3 wickets for Pakistan.
After this, Pakistan’s first innings was limited to only 194 runs. The batsman who scored the most runs in the first innings for Pakistan was Babar Azam, who scored 58 runs. During this period Rabada had taken 3 wickets. While Quena Mafaka and Keshav Maharaj took 2-2 wickets. However, Babar Azam and Shan Masood gave a good start to Pakistan in the second innings.
