South Africa’s stand-in captain, Keshav Maharaj, won the toss and opted to bat first in the ongoing Test match against Zimbabwe. His decision proved fruitful as the Proteas piled on a massive 418/9 before declaring their first innings. The charge was led by Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who scored a brilliant 153, and Corbin Bosch, who remained unbeaten with a century.
The Zimbabwean bowling attack struggled for breakthroughs, with Tanaka Chivanga standing out by claiming four wickets. Blessing Muzarabani added two to his name, while Wellington Masakadza and Vincent Masekesa took one each.
In response, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 251 runs in their first innings, handing South Africa a solid 167-run lead. The Proteas continued their dominance with the bat in the second innings, scoring 369 runs to extend their lead to a daunting 536 runs. The commanding total has left Zimbabwe with a monumental task in their final innings as the South African bowlers look to wrap things up efficiently.
Amidst the on-field action, a tense moment late on Day 3 caught the attention of fans. During the 13th over of Zimbabwe’s second innings, young South African pacer Kwena Maphaka accidentally bowled a beamer that soared toward Takudzwanashe Kaitano’s head.
Luckily, the Zimbabwean opener managed to dodge the delivery and avoid any injury. The ball also raced away for four runs. Maphaka was quick to acknowledge his mistake, offering an immediate apology to Kaitano.
By the end of Day 3, Zimbabwe were 32/1, having lost Kaitano on the final delivery of the day. He was caught by Pretorius off Bosch in the 19th over, a blow to the hosts just before Stumps. With a steep target ahead and their top-order already under pressure, Zimbabwe will need a special effort to stay in the contest.
— BavumaTheKing Temba (@bavumathek83578) June 30, 2025
South Africa, fresh off their World Test Championship title win over Australia earlier this month, will look to continue their dominant run. With both bat and ball firing in tandem, the Proteas seem well on track to wrap up the Test and reinforce their position as the top red-ball team in the world.