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DAY 4: Harmer stars as Proteas beat Pakistan to draw series

cricket23 October 2025 08:32| © AFP
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Simon Harmer demolished the Pakistan batting in their second innings to claim 6/50 as South Africa bowled the home team out for 138 before racing to an eight-wicket win as they knocked off the 68 needed for victory in the first session of the fourth day of the second test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

South Africa thus levelled the two-test series 1-1 after Pakistan won the first test in Lahore last week. It was the Proteas' first test win on Pakistani soil since 2007. Keshav Maharaj was made player of the match for his haul of nine wickets while Senuran Muthusamy was made player of the series for his 11 wickets in Lahore and his unbeaten 89 in Rawalpindi.

Caretaker skipper Aiden Markram described the win as “a really good response to the loss in Lahore. We were put under pressure in this test again and there were moments when the guys had to put their hands up and stand up for the team and they did that. We take a lot of confidence and belief out of winning this test.”

Asked about the “collective effort” of the team, he replied: “It feels that way and it’s a great space for us to be in as a team. We had different conditions here and we’re still a work in progress, but for different players to put up their hands at different times here and in Lahore is a big positive for us and gives us heaps of belief going forward.”

The test, which seemed evenly balanced going into the fourth day, moved forward at breakneck speed in South Africa’s favour in the first session on a worn pitch now taking plenty of turn.

Pakistan resumed their second innings on 94 for four, an overall lead of 23, with popular hero Babar Azam undefeated on 49. Babar’s presence ensured a big crowd – there was also free entry for the match – and they were electrified by their hero nudging a single off Harmer’s second ball to go to his 50, his first in seven test innings.

From there, however, it was all downhill for Pakistan. The offspinner got the big wicket with his fifth ball, trapping Babar leg before with a delivery that kept low and turned sharply into him. The crowd, so noisy on Wednesday evening and before the start of play, were silent as Babar walked off after his failed review (the ball would have hit middle stump).

Babar’s partner, Muhammad Rizwan, was the second wicket to fall in Harmer’s third over, pushing half forward and edging an easy bat-pad chance to Tony de Zorzi at short leg. This was Harmer’s first five-for in tests.

It was to get even better for him as, in his next over, he induced Noman Ali to push forward, the turning ball catching the edge of his bat with wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne pouching the catch. This was his 1000th victim in first-class cricket.

By this stage Pakistan were rocking and it was no surprise that another wicket fell in Kagiso Rabada’s next over, a chaotic runout with Shaheen Shah Afridi caught out of his ground after a direct hit from Ryan Rickelton.

Keshav Maharaj, replacing Harmer, then made another key breakthrough, forcing Salmon Agha to play on trying to cut. Agha had played well against Harmer and Rabada and struck 28 in 42 balls to give Pakistan some hope of setting a target in excess of a hundred. Maharaj then claimed the final wicket when Sajid Khan danced down the pitch and was beaten by the turning delivery, leaving Verreynne with an easy stumping.

Six wickets had fallen for 44 runs in 14.3 hectic overs and South Africa needed just 68 for victory.

Openers Markram and Rickelton approached their task positively with Markram particularly aggressive against the new-ball spin attack of left-arm spinners Asif Afridi and Noman Ali. Using the sweep, slog-sweep and lofted drive, he cracked eight fours in his innings of 42 off 45 balls before he was leg before sweeping at Noman.

Despite his dismissal, and Tristan Stubbs’ dismissal caught at slip in the same over, the job was effectively done and Rickelton (25*) finished the game off in fine style in the next over from Sajid Khan, crashing his off-drive over the ropes.

 

South Africa’s positive approach to their victory target meant they scored the runs in just 12.3 overs.

Markram’s referral to a collective effort was borne out by the impressive performances by a number of players in the match. Maharaj claimed 7/102 in Pakistan’s first innings, with Harmer the hero in their second knock.

Arguably the key moment in the match, however, was the 98-run 10th wicket partnership by Rabada and Muthusamy in South Africa’s first innings that helped to transform a first innings deficit into a 71-run lead.

PAKISTAN: Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Asif Afridi

SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (captain), Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy, Kagiso Rabada

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