South Africa delivered a commanding performance in Rawalpindi, securing an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Pakistan and leveling the two-Test series. The architect of this win was off-spinner Simon Harmer, whose exceptional spell of 6-50 dismantled Pakistan’s second innings for just 138 runs on Day 4, leaving South Africa with a comfortable target of 68 runs.
This crucial win has reshuffled the World Test Championship (WTC) standings. Pakistan’s loss sees them slip behind India in the latest points table, with India moving up to third place while Pakistan now sits at fifth. Reigning WTC champion South Africa has advanced to fourth position after this convincing display. The victory marks a complete turnaround for South Africa, who had lost the first Test in Lahore by 93 runs. They chased down their target of 73-2 in just 12.3 overs.
Here’s an overview of the WTC Points Table after the match:
| Rank | Team | Matches | Wins | Losses | Draws | Points | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 100.00 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 66.67 |
| 3 | India | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 52 | 61.90 |
| 4 | South Africa | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 50.00 |
| 5 | Pakistan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 50.00 |
| 6 | England | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 43.33 |
| 7 | Bangladesh | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16.67 |
| 8 | West Indies | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 9 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
The spin partnership of Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, who made a strong return after missing the first Test due to injury, proved to be decisive, collectively claiming 17 wickets in the second match. South African captain Aiden Markram spearheaded the chase with an aggressive 42 runs off 45 balls, featuring eight boundaries, before being dismissed leg before wicket by Noman Ali with only four runs needed for victory.
Tristan Stubbs, who had impressed with a half-century in South Africa’s first innings total of 404, unfortunately departed for a duck, edging Noman to slip. Ryan Rickelton sealed the triumph with a six off Sajid Khan, remaining unbeaten on 25.
Harmer’s stellar performance included a significant milestone: he became only the third South African bowler in history to reach 1,000 wickets in first-class cricket when he dismissed Noman. Pakistan’s overnight batters, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, were unable to significantly extend their team’s lead. Both fell to Harmer early on Day 4, triggering a rapid collapse.
Babar Azam reached his first half-century of the series but was trapped lbw by Harmer shortly after. His dismissal came from a delivery that spun sharply back, hitting his pads, with the DRS review confirming the umpire’s decision. The Pakistan captain’s struggle for a Test century continues, with his last hundred dating back to December 2022.
Rizwan’s dismissal quickly followed, as he edged Harmer’s bowling to Tony de Zorzi, leaving Pakistan in a precarious position with a mere 34-run lead. Salman Ali Agha offered some resistance with 28 runs off 42 balls but was eventually bowled by Maharaj. The left-arm spinner then completed Pakistan’s innings by stumping Khan, paving the way for South Africa’s well-deserved series-leveling victory.
The balanced and effective performance from South Africa’s bowling attack, particularly their spinners, was the key factor in securing their first Test victory of the series.