LAHORE: Star Pakistan batter Babar Azam has reacted to his on-field heated exchange with South African pacer Wiaan Mulder during the second PAK v SA Test at the Newlands.

Despite a stellar opening stand of 205 runs between Babar Azam and skipper Shan Masood in the second inning, Pakistan managed to set a target of 58 runs for South Africa owing to the big deficit in the first inning. Pakistan were bowled out for 194 in their first inning while they were all-out for 478 in the second inning after South Africa enforced a follow-on. The hosts posted a massive 615-run total in their first innings owing to Ryan Rickleton’s 259-run knock alongside skipper Temba Bavuma and Kyle Verreynne’s tons. In reply, Pakistan were bundled out for 194 as Babar Azam remained the top run-getter for the tourists, having scored 58 off 127 balls. After being asked to follow on, the star batter opened the inning with skipper Shan Masood in Saim Ayub’s absence who was ruled out of the second PAK v SA Test due to an ankle injury.

The two built a solid partnership with Babar Azam scoring his second half-century in a single day and his third consecutive in the PAK v SA Test series. During his inning, the star Pakistan batter got involved in a heated exchange with South African pacer Wiaan Mulder who threw the ball at him. The incident occurred on Day 3 of the Test when the South African pacer delivered a length ball which Babar Azam drove in front of the wicket. Wiaan Mulder collected the ball and threw it at the stumps, however, he missed them by a long distance and hit Babar Azam on the leg.  Babar, visibly angry, gave a stare to Wiaan Mulder and pointed to him where the stumps were. Following the game, the Pakistan batter was asked about what led to the altercation. However, Babar Azam downplayed the incident, saying that it was part of the game and nothing more than that. “It was just the heat of the moment. These things happen in cricket, and we move on. It’s all part of the game,” he said in a post-match press conference. It is worth noting here that South Africa defeated Pakistan by 10 wickets in the second PAK v SA Test to whitewash the tourists in the two-match series. The hosts chased down the 58-run target without a loss on Day 4 after bowling out Pakistan for 478 in their second inning of the follow-on.