Asad succeeds but Misbah fails to complete century
DUBAI: Pakistan lost captain Misbah-ul-Haq while Asad Shafiq completed his fourth Test hundred as Pakistan reached 274 for five in second innings against South Africa at tea on the fourth day of the...
October 26, 2013
Misbah and Asad added 197 valuable runs for the fifth wicket partnership while chasing 418 to avoid innings defeat against the top-ranked Test side.
Asad reached his well deserved fighting century in 238 balls hitting eleven fours and a six but South Africa got the prized wicket of Misbah-ul Haq to edge closer to a series-levelling win in the second Test against Pakistan.
Misbah, who was going well towards his fifth Test hundred, was caught at slip by Jacquis Kallis off Dean Elgar a few minutes before tea. He made 88 off 218 balls with six fours and a six.
Asad was batting on 114 after beating his previous highest Test score of 111, scored also against South Africa earlier this year at Cape Town.
Adnan Akmal was the other unbeaten batsman on one as Pakistan still needed another 144 runs with five wickets in hand to avoid an innings defeat.
When it looked like Misbah would guide Pakistan towards safety he fell to a smart move by South African captain Graeme Smith, who brought on part-timer Dean Elgar to bowl.
The left-hand slow blower returned the faith shown in him in his second over when Misbah's miscued drive was well caught by Jacques Kallis, ending a 349-minute vigil.
Asad reached his hundred with a superb on-drive off Jean-Paul Duminy for his 11th boundary to complete his second hundred against South Africa. He had hit 12 fours and a six off 268 balls at tea.
Asad, on 36, got a reprieve early in the day when a leg-before decision by Australian umpire Rod Tucker was overturned on review. The unlucky bowler was paceman Vernon Philander in the fifth over in the day.
Asad, who scored 54 in Pakistan's seven-wicket win in last week's first Test in Abu Dhabi, reached his ninth Test fifty when he guided Duminy towards third man.
Misbah followed Asad, reaching his 22nd half-century at Test level with a single towards third man off paceman Morne Morkel.
