Pakistan fight back after early trouble against Proteas

Captain Babar Azam and Fawad Alam have revived Pakistan with a century stand to be 3-145 after South Africa reduced them to 3-22 on the first day of the second cricket Test.

Babar brought up his 16th Test half-century and was unbeaten on 77 with a dozen boundaries while left-handed Alam continued his rich batting form to reach 42 off 138 balls.

They duo had shared a 123-run stand when tea was called, but they did not resume as rain washed out the last session.

Pakistan were in trouble early after left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took two wickets in 10 balls and fast bowler Andrich Nortje had Abid Ali caught at forward short leg.

But Babar and Alam put the innings back on track as the ball got older in the middle session on a dry pitch that made batting more comfortable.

Babar caressed the offside field through some crisp cover drives, and was equally good off his back foot against the three fast bowlers.

The Pakistan skipper completed his 50 with a flicked boundary off Wiaan Mulder - the only change the Proteas made from the team which lost the first Test by seven wickets at Karachi last week.

Alam scored a gritty century in the first Test and continued to frustrate South Africa with his open-chested batting stance.

South Africa had an injury scare when spinner George Linde left the field in the first session after the left-arm spinner tried to stop a hard drive off Babar off his own bowling. Linde didn't suffer a fracture but required stitches on his little finger.

Linde didn't return to the field in the middle session and South Africa management said he was subject to further testing.