Shafique’s luck holds as Pakistan reaches 95-1 at lunch in second test against South Africa

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Opening batter Abdullah Shafique had three reprieves on yet another dry wicket as Pakistan reached 95-1 at lunch Monday in the second cricket test against South Africa.

Shafique was dropped by Tristan Stubbs at third slip off Kagiso Rabada’s fourth ball, before he’d scored. Then Marco Jansen’s sharp delivery beat the inside edge of Shafique’s bat, but the bails didn’t fall after the ball grazed the off stump.

Keshav Maharaj, who missed South Africa’s 93-run defeat in the first test last week, then failed to grab a return catch to his left in his first over after inducing an outside edge off Shafique’s bat.

And luck continued to go Shafique’s way in the first session when he was adjudged leg before wicket against Maharaj but went for a successful television review as replays suggested the ball had hit his bat first.

After surviving all those nervy moments, Shafique was unbeaten on 37 at the interval.

Captain Shan Masood, who won the toss on an abrasive wicket, was the aggressor in the partnership and will resume on 38.

Masood smashed two sixes against Simon Harmer’s off-spin and welcomed Senuran Muthusamy with another big hit over the long-on boundary.

Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq survived Rabada and Jansen’s opening spell before South Africa captain Aiden Markram turned to his spinners inside the first hour.

Harmer provided the breakthrough when he bowled Imam for 17 with a ball that spun sharply away from the left-hander and hit the top of off-stump.

Masood and Shafique then combined to add 60 runs in an unbroken stand.

Maharaj was available only for the second test because he was recovering from groin injury. He replaced off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen in one of the two changes the World Test Championship winners made to their XI.

Seaming all-rounder Jansen returned in place of Wiaan Mulder, who bowled only two overs in the first test and struggled against spinners in both innings while batting at No. 3.

With the Pindi Cricket Stadium also likely to suit spinners, Pakistan included a third specialist slow bowler and awarded a test debut to 38-year-old left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, who replaced Hasan Ali.

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