PAK VS SA 2ND TEST

Right then, that wraps up this memorable second Test and the series as a whole. South Africa and Pakistan finish on level terms in what turned out to be a thoroughly entertaining contest. We all wish there had been a decider, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. The trophy is now shared, with both captains, Shan Masood and Aiden Markram, lifting it together. Both teams will now shift their focus to the shortest format, as a three-match T20I series awaits. The first game is scheduled for Tuesday, 28th October, at 3 pm GMT, but you can join us early for all the pre-match build-up. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Aiden Markram, the victorious skipper of South Africa, says that this is a really good response from them. Adds that after they were put under pressure in the first Test, the boys have excelled in this game. Mentions that they will take a lot of confidence from this one, and this is a good space to be in as a team. Says that they are still a work in progress on conditions like these, but the players have put their hands up at different times. Tells that in South Africa, people think they have good seamers and some spinners, but they are really good with the spinners as well. Says that he has seen KG bat in the nets, but this was special, and he won them the game with the bat. End by saying that they learned plenty of lessons from this series, and now they head to India.

Shan Masood, the captain of Pakistan, says that they need to give credit to the opposition. Adds that they kept fighting and found a method for all the batters. Says they did not finish the first innings well in terms of bowling, and the last two wickets cost them dearly. Mentions the lead in the first innings makes a huge difference. Maharaj, Muthusamy, and Rabada played well, but they missed a few chances in the field. Further adds, they can't give opportunities to a team like South Africa, who are the current WTC champions.. Tells that they have had four wins out of six games from the spin-friendly surfaces. Ends by saying that they need to work on a few things, like lower-order batting, third innings of batting, need to work well, and get better.

Senuran Muthusamy is the PLAYER OF THE SERIES for his 11 wickets and 106 runs. He says that he is trying to do his best whenever he gets the chance for the team. Adds that this win means a lot to him. Says that he got a good few spells in the first Test and is happy with the wickets that he got. Mentions that he comes from Durban, where the wickets are spin-friendly, which helped him on how to approach his batting in this series. Tells that Maharaj and Harmer bowled well, so he was not needed but is happy to contribute with the bat. Ends by saying that initially he looked to farm strike, but once he and Rabada got into the zone, they wanted to score as many as possible.

Keshav Maharaj is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his 9 wickets and 30 runs. He says that he just tried to rely on the flight and tried to be as consistent as possible with the ball. Adds that Muthusamy is a youngster to international cricket but he has a lot of experience in domestic cricket. Shares that he worked on his batting. Mentions that full credit must go to Rabada and Muthusamy for that partnership. Closes by adding that this transition of the team has been phenomenal and it shows how much they have been growing as a team.

Presentation Time...

Pakistan once again found themselves in trouble in the second innings, struggling to cope with Simon Harmer’s probing spin, who picked up a six-fer. The lone positive was Babar Azam, who brought up a half-century to lift the home crowd, but he fell shortly afterward. The rest of the batting lineup failed to make an impact, with only Salman Agha contributing some valuable runs, leaving Pakistan to set a modest target of just 68. South Africa came out to chase, with Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton starting confidently - Markram played aggressively, scoring a quick 42, though he couldn’t see it through, and Tristan Stubbs fell for a duck. Despite that, the Proteas comfortably sealed the chase without any real trouble.

The match began to shift once Pakistan took the second new ball. Senuran Muthusamy showed incredible composure and skill, shepherding the lower order brilliantly. Initially, he received support from Keshav Maharaj as they inched closer to the total, but the hosts’ frustration didn’t stop there. Kagiso Rabada played the innings of his life, notching up his maiden Test half-century and finishing with a polished 71, while Muthusamy ended unbeaten on 89. Together, they pushed South Africa to 404, setting up a first-innings lead of 71 runs.

South Africa found themselves in early trouble in their first innings, but a crucial 113-run partnership between Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi steadied the ship, with both batters bringing up well-earned half-centuries. However, the visitors were back under pressure early on Day 3, slipping to 235/8 as debutant Asif Afridi weaved his magic to claim his maiden Test five-wicket haul. At that stage, it looked like Pakistan were set to take control and secure a first-innings lead, but as we all know, cricket has a way of defying expectations.

Let’s take a quick look back at how this Test unfolded. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 333 in their first innings - built around a classy 87 from Shan Masood, with solid fifties from Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel, while Salman Agha chipped in with useful runs lower down the order. Keshav Maharaj was the standout performer with the ball, claiming seven wickets, though South Africa would feel they missed a trick by dropping a few crucial catches on the opening day.

A famous win for South Africa in Rawalpindi! This victory perfectly sums up why they are the reigning World Test Champions - a performance built on resilience, determination, and eventually, sheer dominance. It’s also a historic moment for the Proteas, as they register their first Test win in Pakistan since 2007, and only their third in Asia over the past decade.

SIX! Ryan Rickelton finishes things off in style! Sajid Khan tosses it up, full and on off, Rickelton skips down the track and dispatches it over the long off fence for a biggie. South Africa win by 8 wickets and level the series 1-1!

Floated, full and on middle, Ryan Rickelton knocks it back to the bowler.

SCORES LEVEL! Flatter, full and on off, Ryan Rickelton looks to push it away but gets an outside edge along the ground and past first slip for a couple of runs.

Tony de Zorzi comes out to the middle now.

OUT!  EDGED AND GONE! Noman Ali gets his second in the over! He slows it up, full and around off, turning it away. Tristan Stubbs takes a big stride forward and pushes at it with hard hands. Gets an outside edge towards first slip, where Salman Agha makes no mistake. Stubbs is not happy with himself as he goes back for a 4-baller.

OUT!  EDGED AND GONE! Noman Ali gets his second in the over! He slows it up, full and around off, turning it away. Tristan Stubbs takes a big stride forward and pushes at it with hard hands. Gets an outside edge towards first slip, where Salman Agha makes no mistake. Stubbs is not happy with himself as he goes back for a 4-baller.