Chasing a challenging target of 354, the Pakistan openers batted positively to score 66/0 at lunch on day five of the second test match at Abu Dhabi. South Africa had earlier declared on 203/5.

Chasing a challenging target of 354, the Pakistan openers batted positively to score 66/0 at lunch on day five of the second test match at Abu Dhabi. South Africa had earlier declared on 203/5.

Resuming the day on 173/4, South Africa continued to bat for another half an hour and finished on 203/5 losing the wicket of Mark Boucher for 15 runs. Umar Gul picked up the wicket when Boucher dragged a delivery onto his stumps. Ashwell Prince remained not out on 47 runs (5×4).

Set an almost impossible target of 354, Pakistan started off well to put a confident fifty partnership for the first wicket. Both Mohammed Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar did not find any difficulty in facing the South African quicks. Hafeez was batting on 34 runs while Umar was on 30 runs. Both had hit four fours each and looked to settle for a draw.

South Africa have only themselves to blame as they could have declared a bit early, rather than giving their bowlers just 82 overs to get ten second innings wickets.

With the wicket still good to bat on, the match is surely heading towards a draw, unless a Pakistan collapse would prove otherwise.