It’s often exciting when South Africa and Pakistan meet in cricket. We’ve seen some smashing games over the years. Like the hard-fought and delicately-balanced ODI series in 2007/08, or that one-wicket win for Pakistan at the 2023 World Cup.
The sides recently met again as part of the Tri-Nations series of 2025 in Pakistan. This series pits three teams – Pakistan, South Africa, and New Zealand – against each other. Here, we’ll have a full look at the South Africa/Pakistan clash.
There is also a lot of strategy in play for the Pakistani batters. Similar to any other game of strategy, like chess or Chicken Road game, the players know they have to be smart and sensible, timing and choosing their strikes with care to avoid getting out too early.
You’ll find a complete Pakistan vs South Africa national cricket team match scorecard below. Plus, analysis of the game and in-depth looks at both the SA and Pakistan cricket team, and where they go from here.
Match Overview
Let’s kick things off with a focus on the match itself. We’ll start with setting the scene of what was at stake, before looking at team details and the toss.
Venue, Date, and Match Format
The venue: National Stadium, Karachi
The date: Feb 12, 2025
The format: ODI
This match was part of the aforementioned Tri-Nations Series, and a spot in the final against New Zealand was on the line. That was because NZ had already claimed wins against the other two sides in the opening games. This, then, was an all-or-nothing clash, and a chance for a redemption battle with the kiwis.
Team Lineups and Key Players
For South Africa:
- Temba Bavuma
- Tony de Zorzi
- Matthew Breetzke
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Wiaan Mulder
- Kyle Verreynne
- Corbin Bosch
- Senuran Muthusamy
- Keshav Maharaj
- Lungi Ngidi
- Tabraiz Shamsi
And for Pakistan, the team was:
- Fakhar Zaman
- Babar Azam
- Saud Shakeel
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Salman Agha
- Tayyab Tahir
- Khushdil Shah
- Shaheen Afridi
- Mohammad Hasnain
- Naseem Shah
- Abrar Ahmed
Key players to watch were naturally Azam and Rizwan on the Pakistan side, both classed among the sport’s leading names of the moment. Over for SA, captain Bavuma is always a reliable player, and hopes were high that the likes of Breetzke and Klaasen could score well.
Toss Decision and Initial Strategy
South Africa won the toss. They elected to bat first. That was not a surprise to fans and commentators, as the National Stadium has historically been a good batting ground. SA were keen to get some runs on the board quickly. They wanted to make Pakistan’s bowlers work hard for their wickets and tire out their opponents.
First Innings Performance
Next, let’s have a more in-depth look at how the opening innings went for SA.
South Africa’s Batting Performance
The South Africans started a little more cautiously than some had anticipated. They only picked up a single run in the first over. But their scoring rate soon started to rise, and the first boundary, a beautiful drive for four from Bavuma, came in the third over.
The fourth went for nine runs, and the fifth for seven more. And, for those opening stages, it seemed that SA were on track for a big score. De Zorzi and Bavuma were clean and confident in their strokes and drives, timing their hits well and focusing on boundaries for the most part, with more defensive shots in between.
However, the breakthrough finally came in the 8th over. Afridi bowled a 135.8 kph ball to De Zorzi. He poked at it, with a thick edge carrying through to Salman Agha. Pakistan cheered. They hoped it would be the first of several wickets to quickly follow.
But they hadn’t counted on some key contributions from the SA top and middle order. Matthew Breetzke and Bavuma put on more than 100 runs before the next wicket fell. After that, Klaasen came in and kept the runs coming for SA, picking up 87 of his own. Mulder was caught for just two. But Breetzke made 83, and middle-order stars Verreynne and Bosch combined for 59.
The final overs were quite impactful, too. SA picked up 20 runs in the 46th, 12 in the 47th, 8 more in the 48th, 7 in the 49th, and a whopping 20 runs in the last.
Pakistan’s Bowling Analysis
The Pakistan national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team match scorecard from the first innings did not make for happy reading for the Pakistan side. They took five wickets and allowed SA to put up an impressive 352 in the process.
But they still had their moments, with the likes of Afidi, Shah, and Ahmed doing what they could to stymie the flow of runs.
The opening spells were crucial, and Pakistan started confidently and quickly, limiting the openers’ chances. They used the first powerplay well, as that was when they picked up the first wicket (De Zorzi).
They worked well in the middle overs too, to control the game. They often limited SA to just six runs maximum in those overs, though some were much more expensive. Final economy rates were generally around the 6.5 mark for most of the bowlers, though Hasnain’s was 9.
The death overs were where the Pakistan bowlers struggled most. They had a hard time limiting the SA offensive. And they struggled to get the key wickets they needed until quite late on. Clearly, they had a big mountain to climb in their innings.
Second Innings Performance
Heading into the second innings, the match hung in the balance. SA had put up a good score to be proud of. But Pakistan knew they had a very able set of batsmen who could match or even better that score, if they played well.
Pakistan’s Batting Performance
Players know they needed a good run rate to have any chance of winning. They couldn’t sit around idly waiting for good chances. They had to take what they could. And so, they started off fast, hitting 13 in the very first over, 10 in the 3rd, and 14 more in the 4th.
The openers managed a 57-run partnership. But then the first wicket fell in the 7th, similar to how it had for SA. Azam was caught LBW by Mulder, and that was a huge moment, as he was seen as Pakistan’s best chance of winning the game because of his scoring history.
Things got worse quickly for Pakistan. Shakeel fell in the 10th over, caught by Mulder off a Bosch delivery. Zaman went one over later, caught by Klaasen off Mulder. Suddenly, Pakistan were 91-3. Some fans thought the game was already lost there and then, but the middle order pulled off a miracle.
Rizwan, the captain, and Agha, both put up centuries to drag their side back in the game. And by the time they reached the last 10 overs, Pakistan only needed 82. They played those overs to perfection, hitting boundary after boundary. Even when Agha got caught, Tahir came in to see out the win for Pakistan. It was their highest winning chase in any ODI.
South Africa’s Bowling Analysis
From an SA perspective, the bowling started well but just struggled to maintain that momentum later on. The SA bowlers , especially Mulder, did great in the opening 10-15 overs. They picked up three big wickets and seemed set for victory.
But they tired as the match wore on, and economy ratings started to rise for Ngidi and Bosch in particular. The less-used bowlers failed to make a major impact also, like Muthusamy and Shamsi.
And when the death overs came and Pakistan were in pole position to win, South Africa’s men struggled to make a dent in their run chase. They bowled several wides in the finishing overs, gifting free runs to the Pakistani players and letting victory slip away.
Key Turning Points in the Match
Let’s now focus on some of the most important moments from this Pakistan vs. South Africa clash.
Crucial Partnerships and Game-Changing Moments
The Bavuma and Breetzke partnership was huge for SA. Klaasen also did good work with Verreynne towards the end of the game. Those final overs, in particular, were huge for building the South African score and setting an intimidating target to Pakistan.
On the Pakistan side, it was all about the middle order. Rizwan and Agha stole the show, combining for 256 runs overall. They dragged their side into the game more or less on their own and saw out over and over.
Bowling Spells That Shifted Momentum
For Pakistan, middle-order bowling was solid, with Bavuma, Breetzke and Mulder all falling between the 29th ad 40th overs, but they struggled in the death overs massively.
For SA, the opening spell of bowling was hugely productive, with three big wickets. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to sustain the pressure.
Umpiring Decisions and Their Influence
Some big decisions were:
- A shout for LBW against Breetzke in the 26th over. Pakistan reviewed, but umpire Asif Yaqoob had made the right call.
- Another big LBW appeal in the 37th against Klaasen, but the umpires waved it away.
- A big shout against Rizwan in the 32nd over of the 2nd innings, which might have pushed the game SA’s way. But the umpire said no.
Player Performances and Standout Moments
Next, a look at the individual players and those that really left their mark on this game.
Best Batting Performances
There are only two names that can appear here: Agha and Rizwan. With 134 for the former and 122 for the latter, these were the two men who changed the game from a batting standpoint.
Top Bowling Figures and Economy Rates
On the bowling side, there weren’t any major standout performances. Afridi got the most wickets for Pakistan with two and a 6.6 economy, while Mulder also picked up two for SA, with a weaker economy of 7.9.
Fielding Brilliance and Game-Changing Catches
In the field, Mulder and Klaasen did a lot of good work for SA, despite struggling to take too many wickets. Agha was the hero for Pakistan, taking two big catches of De Zorzi and Breetzke.
Statistical Breakdown of the Match
Next up, a look at some big stats.
Batting Comparison Between Both Teams
The South African batsmen were more consistent on the whole, with several scoring above 80 and only one low score of 2 for Mulder. Klaasen was particularly good, hitting 14 boundaries and 87 runs off just 56 deliveries.
Pakistan’s openers were weaker, but the Rizwan/Agha double act saved them. Agha was the most prolific, with 18 boundaries.
Bowling Analysis and Economy Rates
Pakistan’s bowlers were the better of the two sides, taking five wickets, with pretty consistent economies across most of them.
The main SA bowlers, Ngidi, Mulder, and Bosch, all took wickets but were quite costly with several overs, which let Pakistan creep back into the match,
Overall Match Statistics and Key Metrics
Interesting stats from the match are:
- A 6-wicket win for Pakistan
- The biggest winning run chase in Pakistan ODI history
- South Africa reached 50 runs in 46 balls, 100 runs in 91 balls, 200 in 204 balls, and 350 in 301 balls.
- Pakistan got to 50 in 32 balls, 100 in 76, 200 in 189, and 350 in 291.
Match Result and Post-Match Reactions
Now, a look at the post-match situation.
Winning Team’s Post-Match Comments
“Everyone knows cricket is by chance. Thanks to the Almighty for helping us with the record chase. I thought we could keep them to 300 but with the way Klaasen played, he took them to 350. When we finished our bowling and were going back, couple of the guys reminded us that we have chased such totals before and that motivated us.” – Rizwan
Losing Team’s Reflections on Performance
“Getting to 350 you back yourselves. We were confident at the start of the innings, but we didn’t start well, picked up a couple of wickets but never put them under pressure.” – Bavuma
Experts’ Analysis and Fan Reactions
Many experts were impressed with Pakistan’s big comeback, and fans of the Pakistan national time were thrilled. However, many expressed disappointment with some of the opening batsmen. On the SA side, there was also disappointment that the side couldn’t hold onto such a big lead to seal their win.
Implications for Future Matches
This match will clearly live long in the history of matches between Pakistan and South Africa, and could impact future clashes between the sides.
How This Match Impacts Tournament Standings
Because Pakistan won, they made it through to the final of the Tri-Nations Series vs. New Zealand. SA, having lost all their games, went home with no victories. Pakistan ended up losing the final to NZ quite heavily.
Areas of Improvement for Both Teams
For SA, the focus has to be on improving their bowling to be more ruthless and not give away so many runs so cheaply, especially in the latter stages of games.
For Pakistan, fielding will need to improve, and the opening batsmen will want to get bigger scores in future games than they managed here.
Upcoming Fixtures and Expectations
There aren’t any meetings between the South Africa national cricket team and Pakistan on the horizon just yet. But it’s only a matter of time until these sides meet again. In the meantime, Pakistan are preparing for a tour of New Zealand, while SA have games with the Aussies and England upcoming.
