The Proteas have delivered an impeccable exhibition of the Test-match arts to claim a memorable victory in Rawalpindi which helped the world-champions share the two-match series with Pakistan.
It arrived eight minutes after the scheduled lunch on the fourth day, about two hours before anyone thought probable, with Ryan Rickelton launching a straight six down to ground to seal an emphatic eight-wicket victory.
There will certainly be request for souvenir stumps with an entire generation of Proteas, including seniors such as Kagiso Rabada and captain Aiden Markram, having not achieved this feat until today with this being the tourists’ first Test win in Pakistan for 18 years.
It was generally expected that the visitors would have to work long and hard for the six wickets they still required on Thursday. But it was achieved with compelling artistry, with Rabada, bowling with zip and accuracy early on, before the majority of the damage was inflicted by Simon Harmer, who took three further wickets to finish with a career-best 6/50.
Pure destruction from Simon Harmer! 💥
A ruthless spell that tore through Pakistan’s top order. Harmer delivering a statement performance in Rawalpindi! 🇿🇦✨️ pic.twitter.com/EUdxelKfMv
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 23, 2025
Harmer was brought into the side at the start of this series after a two-year spell in the Test wilderness, but the quality of his craft has only burgeoned whilst travelling around the English countryside with Essex during the intermission.
He turned his stock ball away from the left-hander appreciably, but it was the controlled drift and sliding-on delivery from around the wicket that yielded the prized scalps of Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan that set in yet another Pakistan collapse which saw the home team lose four wickets for just nine runs.
Babar was trapped LBW to a ball that spun back in Harmer’s first over, while Rizwan lunged forward to defend but instead only inside edged to Tony de Zorzi at short leg.
From there on all Pakistan’s resistance crumbled with Noman Ali edging Harmer behind the next over before the inevitable run out with Rickelton producing smart work in the covers with a diving direct hit to send Shaheen Shah back to the pavilion.
Salman Agha swiped a few boundaries to delay the procession, but the return of Keshav Maharaj ensured there would be no fightback in the manner the Proteas’ tail wagged spectacularly on the third day with a couple of wickets to close out Pakistan’s innings on 138 – a target of just 68.
It was achieved with relative ease with Markram, in particular, in a haste to run down the target before lunch was served with a breezy 42 off just 45 balls.
The only blot on the Proteas’ copybook was that Markram was undone by Noman Ali with victory in sight, exposing Tristan Stubbs who fell two balls later for a duck.
But these two late wickets will not in any way take the shine off a spectacular performance from the Proteas – especially with it being on the subcontinent where they have struggled for the last decade – with the World Test champions showing they are determined to hold on to their crown regardless of the conditions faced.
Second Test, Day 4
Pakistan: 333 & 138 (Babar Azam 50, Salman Agha 28, Harmer 6/50, Maharaj 2/34)
South Africa: 404 & 73/2 (Markram 42, Rickelton 25*, Noman Ali 2/40)
South Africa won by eight wickets, level the series at 1-1
