Rawalpindi, Oct 23 (UNI) Simon Harmer was the architect of South Africa’s historic Test victory in Pakistan, guiding his side to chase down 68 runs with eight wickets in hand to secure their first Test win on Pakistani soil since 2007.
South Africa had earlier posted 404 in reply to Pakistan’s first-innings total of 333, giving them a slender lead that they defended with clinical precision in the final innings.
Harmer’s disciplined spin kept the Pakistani batsmen under constant pressure, allowing the South African top order to play calculated strokes during the chase.
Pakistan had ended Day 3 at 94 for 4 in 35 overs, with captain Babar Azam unbeaten on 49 and Mohammad Rizwan contributing 16.
On Day 4, Babar compiled a well-constructed half-century (50 off 87 balls, 7 fours) but was dismissed in the 35.5th over after an unsuccessful review against umpire Chris Brown. The lower order could not resist the South African attack, and Pakistan were bowled out for 138 in 49.3 overs.
South Africa began their second innings confidently, reaching 64 for 1 in 11.3 overs, with Ryan Rickelton and captain Aiden Markram putting on 64 runs for the opening wicket in 69 balls.
Markram’s wicket became the focus of multiple LBW reviews in overs 9.3, 10.3, and 11.3, the final one ending in an umpire’s call. Tristan Stubbs was later caught at slip, leaving South Africa at 65 for 2.
The winning moment came in the 12.3rd over when Sajid Khan bowled to Rickelton, who stepped out and lofted the ball over mid-off for a six, sealing the victory with minimal extras and just a few balls to spare.
Both captains shared the trophy as the series concluded 1-1. While South Africa had struggled in the first Test, they adapted quickly to unfamiliar conditions to produce a commendable fight.
Pakistan’s batting collapses in both innings had gone largely unnoticed in Lahore, thanks to their bowlers’ dominance. However, in Rawalpindi, those batting failures came back to haunt them.
Credit to Keshav Maharaj, who orchestrated South Africa’s triumph with a brilliant seven-wicket haul in the first innings and two more in the second, underlining his tactical acumen in challenging subcontinental conditions.
From Pakistan’s perspective, Asif Afridi’s six-wicket haul on debut was a standout performance; the 38-year-old, who had waited long for his international opportunity, made it count with a memorable display.
A third Test in the series would have been the perfect finale to a closely contested series, but attention will now shift to the three-match T20I series between the two sides, set to begin in about a week.
