South Africa cruised to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan on the fourth day of the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, leveling the two-match series 1-1.
Pakistan’s batting lineup once again faltered against South Africa’s spinners, folding for just 138 in their second innings.
Resuming the day at 94 for 5, Pakistan could only add 44 more runs before being bowled out. Skipper Babar Azam top-scored with a resilient 50 off 87 balls, while Mohammad Rizwan contributed 18. Once the pair departed, the middle and lower order collapsed under relentless pressure from Simon Harmer, who claimed 6 for 50, and Keshav Maharaj, who took 2 for 34.
Earlier, Pakistan had posted 333 in their first innings, powered by Shan Masood’s 87, Saud Shakeel’s 66, and Agha Salman’s 45, before South Africa responded with a commanding 404, courtesy of Senuran Muthusamy’s unbeaten 89 and Kagiso Rabada’s explosive 71 off 61 balls.
Harmer and Maharaj
The Proteas spinners dominated throughout the Test, taking a combined 15 wickets in the match. Harmer, in particular, exploited Rawalpindi’s turning surface to perfection, removing key batters including Babar, Shan Masood, and Saud Shakeel. Pakistan’s lower order offered little resistance, with the final five wickets falling for just 42 runs.
South Africa ease to victory
Chasing a modest target of 68, South Africa reached 73 for 2 in just 12.3 overs. Captain Aiden Markram led from the front with a brisk 42 off 45 balls, while Ryan Rickelton remained unbeaten on 25 to guide his team home. Noman Ali claimed both wickets to fall in the innings.
The win marked a strong comeback for South Africa, who lost the opening Test in Karachi. The result means the two-match series ended in a draw, with both sides showing flashes of dominance across the four days.
Asif Afridi shines
For Pakistan, Asif Afridi was the standout performer with the ball, taking six wickets for 79 in South Africa’s first innings — his best Test figures so far. However, his efforts went in vain as Pakistan’s batting unit failed to build on a promising first-innings lead.
The drawn series highlights Pakistan’s ongoing struggle against quality spin bowling, especially in home conditions. South Africa’s disciplined performance with both bat and ball underscored their growing depth and adaptability in subcontinental conditions.
The teams will now turn their attention to the upcoming limited-overs leg of the tour, where Pakistan will look to regain momentum.
