The second Test between Pakistan and South Africa at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium delivered a gripping finale, as South Africa stormed to an eight-wicket victory on Day 4, drawing the series 1-1 and leaving fans with plenty to talk about. It was a match that had everything: spinning tracks, resilient lower-order batting, a landmark bowling milestone, and the ever-present drama that Test cricket so often brings.
Coming into Day 4 on October 23, 2025, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Pakistan, having won the first Test in Lahore by 93 runs, held a slender 23-run lead overnight with six wickets in hand. The home side’s hopes rested squarely on the shoulders of Babar Azam—unbeaten on 49 at stumps—and Mohammad Rizwan, not out on 16. But with South Africa’s spinners circling like sharks, the hosts were always up against it.
South Africa had already seized the initiative on Day 3, thanks in large part to Simon Harmer’s probing spell of 3 for 26 that left Pakistan teetering at 94 for 4. The Proteas, buoyed by a 71-run first-innings lead built on the back of Senuran Muthusamy’s unbeaten 89, a belligerent 71 from number 11 Kagiso Rabada, and half-centuries from Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs, knew that early wickets on the fourth morning would all but seal the deal.
And that’s exactly what they got. Harmer, the 36-year-old off-spinner, wasted no time in making his mark. With the fifth ball of the day, he trapped Babar Azam leg-before for 53, ending the Pakistan captain’s hopes of snapping a century drought that has stretched since December 2022. "Harmer torpedoed Pakistan’s hopes of saving the Test when he trapped Babar Azam leg-before with the fifth ball of the day after the batsman had reached his 30th Test half-century," reported NDTV Sports Desk.
Pakistan’s resistance crumbled swiftly after that. Nine runs later, Mohammad Rizwan was caught for 18 by Tony de Zorzi at short leg, again off Harmer’s bowling. The very next over, Noman Ali fell for a duck—caught behind for Harmer’s 1,000th First-Class wicket, a remarkable achievement in his 235th match. That milestone placed Harmer in rarefied company, making him just the fourth South African to reach 1,000 First-Class wickets, joining the likes of Mike Procter, Allan Donald, and Charlie Llewellyn.
Pakistan’s tail offered little resistance. Shaheen Shah Afridi was run out without scoring, and Keshav Maharaj quickly wrapped up the innings by dismissing Salman Agha for 28 and Sajid Khan for 13. Maharaj finished with 2 for 34, following up his 7-wicket haul in the first innings, underlining his value as South Africa’s premier spinner. Pakistan’s second innings folded for 138, setting South Africa a modest target of 68 runs to win.
Reflecting on the collapse, it was clear that fatigue and pressure had taken their toll on Pakistan’s batters. On Day 3, lapses like dropped catches and missed chances had crept in, and by the morning of Day 4, the writing was on the wall. "Pakistan’s batting collapsed, adding only 44 runs after resuming at 94-4," according to match reports. The last five wickets fell for just 33 runs, a testament to the relentless pressure applied by South Africa’s spinners.
With the bat, South Africa made short work of the chase. Captain Aiden Markram led from the front, scoring a brisk 42 before falling to Noman Ali, who finished with 2 for 40. Tristan Stubbs was dismissed for a duck, also by Noman, but Ryan Rickelton (25*) ensured there were no further hiccups. Rickelton fittingly sealed the win with a six off Sajid Khan, bringing up the victory just minutes before the lunch break.
It was a fitting end to a match dominated by spin. Across both Tests, slow bowlers had a field day—spinners accounted for 34 of the 40 wickets in the first Test alone, which Pakistan had won in Lahore. In Rawalpindi, the trend continued, with Harmer’s 6 for 50 in the second innings (his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests) and Maharaj’s combined nine wickets for the match proving decisive. Pakistan’s debutant Asif Afridi had also made headlines earlier in the contest with a brilliant six-wicket haul in South Africa’s first innings, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide in the hosts’ favor this time.
The match had its share of memorable moments and what-ifs. Pakistan’s first-innings total of 333 was built on solid efforts from Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, and Abdullah Shafique, but it was South Africa’s lower order that truly swung momentum. The partnership between Muthusamy and Rabada frustrated Pakistan’s bowlers, with Rabada’s fearless strokeplay from number 11 stretching the lead and tilting the game in the visitors’ favor. "Both batters reached half-centuries, steering South Africa past Pakistan’s total," noted match commentators, highlighting the significance of those late-order runs.
For Pakistan, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow. Not only did it cost them a series win at home, but it also saw them slip to fifth in the World Test Championship standings, a setback for a side that had shown plenty of promise in Lahore but couldn’t maintain the momentum in Rawalpindi. The home crowd, so often a fortress for Pakistan, was left to ponder what might have been had their batters shown greater resolve on the final morning.
South Africa, meanwhile, will leave Pakistan with their heads held high. Leveling the series 1-1 on foreign soil is no mean feat, especially given the spinning conditions and the pressure of chasing in the fourth innings. The team’s resilience, the emergence of new heroes like Rickelton and Muthusamy, and Harmer’s historic bowling feat all point to a bright future for the Proteas in Test cricket.
As the dust settles on a pulsating series, both teams will reflect on the lessons learned and the opportunities ahead. For now, though, it’s South Africa who celebrate—a well-earned victory, a landmark for their veteran spinner, and a statement of intent in the World Test Championship race.
