PAK vs SA second Test: South Africa thrashes Pakistan by 8 wickets to degree sequence

South Africa thrashed Pakistan by eight wickets on Thursday (October 23, 2025) to degree the two-Test cricket sequence, with off-spinner Simon Harmer enjoying an important function with a six-wicket haul.

Pakistan opened the sequence with a 93-run victory inside 4 days at Lahore final week, however Harmer flipped the script on one other spinning wicket at Rawalpindi. He snared 6-50 to dismiss Pakistan for 138 on Day 4.

That set South Africa a victory goal of 68 runs, and the World Test Championship winners eased to 73-2 in 12.3 overs.

Harmer and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who missed the primary take a look at resulting from damage, scripted South Africa’s victory with 17 wickets between them within the second take a look at.

South Africa skipper Aiden Markram made a brisk 42 off 45 balls with eight fours to energy the chase earlier than he was trapped lbw by Noman Ali when his group wanted solely 4 runs for victory.

Tristan Stubbs, one of many 4 half-century makers in South Africa’s first innings of 404, was out for a duck when he edged Noman to slide, earlier than Ryan Rickelton (25 not out) smashed Sajid Khan for six to safe the win simply earlier than the scheduled lunch interval.

Harmer grew to become solely the third South African bowler to achieve the 1,000-wicket milestone in first-class cricket when he had Noman caught behind, and Pakistan’s second innings collapsed in simply over an hour.

The residence group’s hopes hinged on in a single day batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to elevate them from 94-4, however each fell to Harmer inside off-spinner’s first three overs of the morning.

Babar, 49 in a single day, accomplished his first half-century of the sequence with a single and it was loudly applauded by his followers on the Pindi Cricket Stadium. However, Harmer pinned Pakistan’s premier batter lbw with a supply that spun again and hit Babar low on the pads.

Babar, who hasn’t scored a take a look at century since December 2022, went for a evaluation however the tv replays indicated the ball didn’t make any contact with the bat earlier than hitting the pads flush in entrance of the wickets.

Harmer then acquired an inside edge off Rizwan’s bat and the ball popped to Tony de Zorzi near the wicket as Pakistan misplaced two key wickets inside the primary 20 minutes and led by simply 34 runs.

Salman Ali Agha made rearguard 28 off 42 balls however chopped Maharaj again onto his stumps earlier than the left-armer had Khan stumped to complete off Pakistan’s resistance.