CAPE TOWN, South Africa: Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed hit a spirited half-century but could not prevent South Africa’s fast bowlers taking control on the first day of the second Test at Newlands on Thursday.
South Africa’s decision to pick an all-pace attack paid dividends with all the bowlers picking up wickets as Pakistan were dismissed out for 177 after being sent in on a hard, green-tinged pitch.
Duanne Olivier followed up a match-winning performance in the first Test in Centurion by taking four for 48, while Dale Steyn took three for 48.
Sarfraz made 56 after coming in with his team in danger of a total collapse at 54 for five. Looking to counter-attack at every opportunity, Sarfraz put on 60 for the sixth wicket with Shan Masood (44) and 42 for the seventh wicket with Mohammad Amir (22 not out).
Sarfraz hit nine fours in an 81-ball innings.
Pakistan were nine wickets down at the scheduled tea break, which was delayed by 14 minutes until the last wicket fell.
Pakistan lost their first three wickets for 19 runs, Steyn making the first breakthrough when Fakhar Zaman fended a bouncer to gully to be out for one in the fifth over.
Imam-ul-Haq was leg before wicket to the returning Vernon Philander for eight before Azhar Ali fell to a short ball, fending a lifting delivery from Olivier to first slip after scoring two.
Shan Masood, batting at number three, watched four of his teammates lose their wickets before he and Sarfraz came together in the best partnership of the innings.
Pakistan crumble against South African pace quartet
Pakistan crumble against South African pace quartet
- Pakistan were nine wickets down at the scheduled tea break, which was delayed by 14 minutes until the last wicket fell
- South Africa dropped spinner Keshav Maharaj to make way for Vernon Philander
Trump said Iran ‘welcome to compete’ in World Cup, says Infantino
US President Donald Trump has said that Iran is “welcome” to participate at the upcoming World Cup in North America, despite the ongoing Middle East war, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday.
The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has thrown into doubt Iran’s participation at this summer’s men’s football World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
During a meeting to discuss preparations for the competition, “we also spoke about the current situation in Iran,” Infantino, the head of world football’s governing body, wrote on Instagram.
“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” he wrote.
The comments marked the first time that Infantino, who in December created a FIFA peace prize and awarded it to Trump, has acknowledged the ongoing war in the Middle East.
Trump’s remarks to Infantino are a stark contrast to his comments to Politico last week.
Trump told Politico: “I really don’t care” if Iran play at the World Cup.
FIFA’s president has grown close to Trump since he returned to the White House, even attending his inauguration.
Asylum claims
Iran’s federation football chief on Tuesday cast doubt on his team’s participation in the sporting extravaganza, following the defection of several women footballers from the Islamic republic during the Asian Cup in Australia.
“If the World Cup is like this, who in their right mind would send their national team to a place like this?” Mehdi Taj asked on Iranian state television.
While the event is spread out across three countries, Iran are scheduled to play all three group games in the United States, two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
Should Iran withdraw from the sport’s quadrennial showpiece, it would be the first time a country did that since France and India pulled out of the 1950 finals in Brazil.
On Tuesday, at the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia, some players from Iran’s team claimed asylum after they came under fire from state television for not singing the country’s national anthem before one match.
Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the team hotel under the cover of darkness to claim sanctuary from Australian officials, the Australian government announced.
At least two more team members applied to stay later in the day, according to local media.
However, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday that one of them had subsequently changed her mind.
Burke said in parliament on Wednesday that he had since been advised that one of the group “had spoken to some of the team mates that left and changed their mind.”
“She had been advised by her team mates and encouraged to contact the Iranian embassy,” he said.
“As a result of that, it meant the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was.”
The remaining players have been moved from a safe house to another location, he said.
