Pakistan national cricket team and South Africa national cricket team is one of the biggest rivalries in international cricket, consistently producing thrilling contests that showcase both sides’ strong batting abilities and world-class bowling abilities.
The south africa national cricket team vs pakistan national cricket team timeline highlights these intense encounters, showing key matches, memorable performances, and pivotal moments that have defined this rivalry over the years.
Babar Azam had the chance of hitting his maiden century against South Africa, but Marco Jansen broke their stand—at this stage South Africa held a commanding lead.
| Date | Format | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22, 2024 | ODI | Johannesburg | Pakistan won by 36 runs |
| Dec 19, 2024 | ODI | Cape Town | Pakistan won by 81 runs |
| Dec 17, 2024 | ODI | Paarl | Pakistan won by 3 wickets |
| Dec 13, 2024 | T20I | Centurion | South Africa won by 7 wickets |
| Dec 10, 2024 | T20I | Durban | South Africa won by 11 runs |
History
Pakistan versus South Africa rivalry is one of passion, pride, and scintillating cricket that has provided some of the most exhilarating moments in modern day cricket history.
Their first ODI match took place in 1991 to commemorate South Africa’s return to international competition; from that momentous occasion on, both teams have met regularly ever since – each meeting providing for some hard fought encounters over time.
South Africa’s 1996-97 season marked an inflection point, when they defeated Pakistan in three test matches and established themselves as a serious power in cricket. Led by players such as Jacques Kallis, Allan Donald, and Shaun Pollock for South Africa; while Shoaib Akhtar and Younis Khan helped strengthen Pakistan.
Since that point, both teams have played in a total of 87 ODI matches with Pakistan claiming 34 wins and South Africa 52; but also sharing several draws. Test matches between both sides have seen six wins for Pakistan while 17 victories went to South Africa while seven match ended up as draws.
What sets this rivalry apart is its variety in styles: South Africa boasts world-class bowlers like Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada while Pakistan have world-renowned batsmen like Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan who often decide the outcome of matches through individual moments of brilliance.
At the 2023 World Cup, two sides clashed in an exciting contest that kept fans riveted throughout. Both teams displayed fantastic batting from both Proteas and visitors; but ultimately the latter secured an unexpected narrow win. These same teams will meet again soon for another thrilling battle at Champions Trophy; fans should prepare themselves for another dramatic matchup!
Though South African cricket has fallen on hard times of late, they remain an effective global contender. But it would be nice if they could rediscover some of the confidence they displayed early on when Test cricket first came around; back when Australia, England, and New Zealand were mere fodder in their backyard; back when they would dominate opponents like Australia England New Zealand on both domestic and international stages without being stopped; instead now they find it increasingly difficult to beat weaker teams despite having strong strategies; they need to reassess their strategy and find ways to increase performance.
Formats
The South Africa National Cricket Team and Pakistan National Cricket Team rivalry has evolved into one of the fiercest yet most respectful competitions in modern international cricket, featuring iconic performances, intense battles and nail-biting finishes across all formats since South Africa returned to international cricket after apartheid ended.
Since their initial meeting back in the early 1990s when South Africa first made a comeback into international play post-apartheid, these two sides have played games against one another that show the best aspects of both games.
South Africa and Pakistan have engaged in intense rivalries across Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is for years – delighting fans all around the globe with their unsurpassed skills and thrilling moments.
Both nations are famed for their formidable bowling attacks – South Africa with fast bowlers while Pakistan with mystery spinners; both countries also regularly engage in thrilling batting duels that include South African batsmen such as Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman leading their respective sides to victory.
South Africa and Pakistan have long been fierce competitors since their inaugural ODI matchback in 1992. Since then, their encounters have provided riveting viewing; fans often find themselves holding their breath when unexpected twists emerge in games between these teams. From spectacular batting displays to unstoppable resistance innings – both teams have never failed to amaze fans with their captivating displays.
South Africa won the toss and decided to bat first during the 2025 Test match, electing for Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavum’s partnership to open with an impressive 235-run opening stand before falling quickly one after another to Salman Agha.
Aiden Markram went on to score an outstanding double century before Morne van Wyk contributed with an unbeaten 44 score to help South Africa close with 316/4 runs scored against Pakistan who ended on 615/8 wickets before Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka and Keshav Maharaj took 7 wickets between them to close this gap down to just over 200 runs!
Pakistan struggled in their chase of this match-up, with only Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam reaching double figures. Their run was further hindered by regular wicket losses from Hashim Amla and JJ Smuts; eventually Sohail Tanvir tosses short and on off for Hardus Viljoen who struck it past midwicket for one.
Unforgettable Moments
South Africa and Pakistan’s intense and captivating rivalry has long been one of the highlights of international cricket. Their encounters across all three formats have brought fans unforgettable moments, often turning unexpected corners or producing shocking last-over finishes or comebacks that leave viewers reeling with suspense – whether its an exciting ODI encounter or intense Test battle, South Africa and Pakistan always deliver unforgettable entertainment!
Both teams are known for their fast bowling skills, and have produced world-class pacers in recent history. Thus, many of their games feature exhilarating fast-bowling contests – in addition to some impressive batting and bowling abilities, each team also boasts some incredible individual talent.
South Africa and Pakistan’s historical rivalry was usually one-sided; however, over the past decade both teams have competed hard for victories in ODI and T20I matches, often coming away victorious. Now with new stars like Kagiso Rabada and Babar Azam emerging on both sides, this rivalry promises to continue entertaining cricket fans worldwide.
When these teams first faced off in 1995 for their inaugural Test match, the Proteas triumphed by 324 runs courtesy of Fanie de Villiers’ exceptional batting and Gary Kirsten’s superb bowling performances as well as Lance Klusener. This historic encounter remains memorable today.
In 1998, South Africa hosted and defeated Pakistan in two test matches, winning by an unprecedented margin. Thanks to remarkable performances by Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman for South Africa, both sides demonstrated outstanding batting and bowling abilities during this remarkable match.
South Africa and Pakistan have played some iconic matches in ICC tournaments, with both sides contributing their best effort in every contest they encounter. Their match-ups have included World Cups, Champions Trophy tournaments and other major ICC competitions.
Pakistan defeated South Africa by 19 runs using the D/L method in their previous ODI encounter, with Tony Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton falling early, but Aiden Markram’s powerful batting and Temba Bavuma’s steady leadership helped lead them through to reach the tournament finals.
Mutual Respect
South Africa and Pakistan enjoy an intense rivalry that has grown increasingly competitive over time. Fuelled by exciting performances and unexpected comebacks, each match between these sides creates high-energy encounters that continue to engage fans worldwide.
South Africa and Pakistan have faced each other 141 times across all formats, with South Africa leading with 81 wins to Pakistan’s 76 victories. While South Africa enjoys an overwhelming advantage in Test matches, their rival has shown some serious promise in both ODIs and T20Is. Next February will mark their first ODI series since 2017 — this could be their chance to shine and show the world their respective strengths!
At the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in Birmingham, South African batsmen AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis demonstrated impressive batting performances during the opening innings.
On the other hand, Pakistan struggled in their innings; Shan Masood, Kamran Ghulam and Babar Azam all failed to reach fifty during their innings; eventually leading the Proteas to victory with a margin of 67 runs and taking home three consecutive wins against them.
Pakistan, having recently signed an agreement with Sony to broadcast its cricket matches, will make this game all the more significant.
This marks their first partnership with an international broadcaster for live coverage of their home matches for over 10 years; PCB hopes that through Sony they can secure further television deals to bring more cricket into their country’s borders – beginning with coverage of this series against South Africa.
