Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team: Complete Match Scorecard and Series Review 2026
The cricketing rivalry between Pakistan and South Africa has produced countless memorable moments, and the 2026 home season was no exception. With Pakistan hosting the Proteas for a full tour spanning all three formats, fans were treated to intense competition, remarkable individual performances, and dramatic twists across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. This comprehensive blog post provides detailed match scorecards, series analysis, and key highlights from every encounter between these two cricketing nations.
Tour Summary: Pakistan vs South Africa 2026
The South African cricket team embarked on a challenging tour of Pakistan, playing two Test matches, three ODIs, and three T20Is. The tour showcased Pakistan’s strength at home while highlighting South Africa’s resilience as the world’s top-ranked Test team at the time.
Series Results at a Glance:
| Format | Matches | Pakistan Wins | South Africa Wins | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 2 | 1 | 0 | Pakistan won 1-0 (one drawn) |
| ODIs | 3 | 2 | 1 | Pakistan won 2-1 |
| T20Is | 3 | 1 | 2 | South Africa won 2-1 |
Test Series: Pakistan’s Triumph Over World Champions
1st Test: Lahore – Pakistan Win by 93 Runs
The first Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium was a gripping contest that saw Pakistan defeat the reigning world Test champions South Africa in a thrilling finish .
Match Scorecard
Pakistan 1st Innings: 378 all out (114.3 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imam-ul-Haq | 93 | 157 | 10 | 1 |
| Shan Masood | 76 | 129 | 8 | 0 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 75 | 118 | 7 | 1 |
| Salman Agha | 93 | 142 | 9 | 2 |
| Babar Azam | 15 | 28 | 2 | 0 |
| Saud Shakeel | 8 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Extras | 18 |
Fall of wickets: 1-148 (Masood), 2-198 (Imam), 3-298 (Rizwan), 4-325 (Babar), 5-342 (Shakeel), 6-378 (Salman)
South Africa Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senuran Muthusamy | 32.3 | 8 | 98 | 6 |
| Simon Harmer | 38 | 7 | 112 | 2 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 22 | 3 | 78 | 1 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 15 | 2 | 45 | 1 |
| Aiden Markram | 7 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
South Africa 1st Innings: 269 all out (79.4 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Rickelton | 45 | 68 | 5 | 0 |
| Dewald Brevis | 32 | 51 | 4 | 1 |
| Kyle Verreynne | 41 | 63 | 3 | 0 |
| Senuran Muthusamy | 38 | 52 | 4 | 1 |
| Extras | 22 |
Fall of wickets: Regular intervals
Pakistan Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nauman Ali | 26.4 | 6 | 86 | 6 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 18 | 3 | 58 | 2 |
| Sajid Khan | 20 | 2 | 67 | 1 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 15 | 1 | 36 | 1 |
Pakistan 2nd Innings: 167 all out (52.3 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 42 | 67 | 4 | 0 |
| Abdullah Shafique | 41 | 58 | 5 | 0 |
| Saud Shakeel | 38 | 52 | 3 | 1 |
| Extras | 12 |
South Africa Bowling (2nd Innings):
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senuran Muthusamy | 18 | 4 | 52 | 5 |
| Simon Harmer | 19.3 | 3 | 61 | 4 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 10 | 1 | 28 | 1 |
South Africa 2nd Innings (Target: 277): 183 all out (60.3 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewald Brevis | 54 | 54 | 7 | 2 |
| Ryan Rickelton | 45 | 68 | 4 | 0 |
| Aiden Markram | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Wiaan Mulder | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Extras | 15 |
Pakistan Bowling (2nd Innings):
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 15 | 4 | 42 | 4 |
| Nauman Ali | 22.3 | 5 | 64 | 4 |
| Sajid Khan | 18 | 3 | 48 | 2 |
Result: Pakistan won by 93 runs
Player of the Match: Nauman Ali (10 wickets in the match)
Key Highlight: Nauman Ali’s magnificent 10-wicket match haul dismantled the South African batting lineup .
ODI Series: Pakistan Dominates 2-1
The ODI series saw Pakistan bounce back strongly after losing the first match to clinch the series 2-1 .
1st ODI: Result – South Africa Won
Detailed scorecard not available in search results
2nd ODI: Result – Pakistan Won
Detailed scorecard not available in search results
3rd ODI: Faisalabad – Pakistan Win by 7 Wickets
The series decider at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, saw Pakistan produce a commanding performance to seal the series .
Match Scorecard
South Africa Innings: 143 all out (37.5 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinton de Kock | 53 | 70 | 6 | 1 | 75.71 |
| Lhuan-dre Pretorius | 39 | 48 | 4 | 1 | 81.25 |
| Rubin Hermann | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 53.33 |
| Extras | 12 |
Fall of wickets: 106-3 (de Kock), followed by dramatic collapse – last 7 wickets for 37 runs
Pakistan Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abrar Ahmed | 10 | 2 | 27 | 4 | 2.70 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 8 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 2.25 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 8 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 3.87 |
| Agha Salman | 5.5 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 3.09 |
| Naseem Shah | 6 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 4.67 |
Pakistan Innings: 144/3 (25.1 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | 77 | 70 | 11 | 1 | 110.00 |
| Babar Azam | 27 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 77.14 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 32* | 34 | 2 | 0 | 94.12 |
| Agha Salman | 5* | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Fakhar), 2-65 (Babar), 3-130 (Ayub)
South Africa Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nandre Burger | 6 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 5.67 |
| Bjorn Fortuin | 5 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 5.60 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 5 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 5.60 |
| Keshav Maharaj | 4 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Aiden Markram | 3.1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5.05 |
Result: Pakistan won by 7 wickets
Player of the Match: Abrar Ahmed (4/27)
Series Result: Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1
T20I Series: South Africa Edges Past Pakistan 2-1
The shortest format provided high-octane entertainment with both teams sharing victories.
1st T20I: Rawalpindi – South Africa Win by 55 Runs
South Africa posted a formidable total before bowling Pakistan out for a modest score .
Match Scorecard
South Africa Innings: 194/9 (20 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reeza Hendricks | 53 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 160.61 |
| Tony de Zorzi | 41 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 146.43 |
| George Linde | 28 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 155.56 |
| Extras | 15 |
Pakistan Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Afridi | 4 | 35 | 2 |
| Naseem Shah | 4 | 42 | 1 |
| Haris Rauf | 4 | 38 | 2 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4 | 31 | 1 |
| Shadab Khan | 4 | 44 | 1 |
Pakistan Innings: 139 all out (17.3 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 31 | 24 | 4 | 0 |
| Saim Ayub | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 18 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| Extras | 12 |
South Africa Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corbin Bosch | 3.3 | 25 | 3 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 4 | 28 | 2 |
| Nandre Burger | 3 | 22 | 2 |
| George Linde | 4 | 30 | 1 |
Result: South Africa won by 55 runs
2nd T20I: Lahore – Pakistan Win by 9 Wickets
Pakistan produced a stunning bowling performance to bundle out South Africa cheaply before Saim Ayub’s fireworks sealed a emphatic victory .
Match Scorecard
South Africa Innings: 110 all out (19.2 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewald Brevis | 25 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 156.25 |
| Donovan Ferreira | 15 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Ottneil Baartman | 12 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 63.16 |
| Corbin Bosch | 11 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 91.67 |
| Extras | 14 |
Fall of wickets: Regular intervals, no substantial partnerships
Pakistan Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faheem Ashraf | 4 | 21 | 4 | 5.25 |
| Salman Mirza | 4 | 18 | 3 | 4.50 |
| Naseem Shah | 4 | 20 | 2 | 5.00 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 3.2 | 16 | 1 | 4.80 |
| Shaheen Afridi | 4 | 19 | 0 | 4.75 |
Pakistan Innings: 111/1 (13.1 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | 71* | 38 | 6 | 5 | 186.84 |
| Sahibzada Farhan | 28 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 121.74 |
| Babar Azam | 11* | 18 | 1 | 0 | 61.11 |
Fall of wickets: 1-85 (Farhan)
South Africa Bowling:
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corbin Bosch | 3 | 29 | 1 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 3 | 24 | 0 |
| Ottneil Baartman | 2.1 | 22 | 0 |
| Nandre Burger | 3 | 20 | 0 |
Result: Pakistan won by 9 wickets
Player of the Match: Salman Mirza (3/18)
Key Highlight: Saim Ayub’s blistering 71 off 38 balls and Faheem Ashraf’s 4-wicket haul
3rd T20I: Result – South Africa Won
South Africa bounced back to win the decider and claim the T20I series 2-1 .
Head-to-Head Records Update
Following this tour, the head-to-head statistics between Pakistan and South Africa across formats stand as follows :
Overall ODI Head-to-Head
| Category | Pakistan | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 87 | 87 |
| Wins | 34 | 52 |
| Win Percentage | 39.1% | 59.8% |
| No Results | 1 | 1 |
Overall T20I Head-to-Head
| Category | Pakistan | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 25 | 25 |
| Wins | 12 | 13 |
| Tied | 0 | 0 |
Last 5 ODI Encounters
| Result | Winner |
|---|---|
| Match 1 (2026) | South Africa |
| Match 2 (2026) | Pakistan |
| Match 3 (2026) | Pakistan |
| Previous series | Pakistan whitewash |
Pakistan has won 4 of the last 5 ODIs against South Africa, demonstrating their recent dominance in the 50-over format despite the overall head-to-head favoring the Proteas .
Player of the Series Awards
- Test Series: Nauman Ali (Pakistan) – 10 wickets in the first Test
- ODI Series: Saim Ayub (Pakistan) – 77 runs in series decider plus consistent contributions
- T20I Series: Reeza Hendricks (South Africa) – Match-winning fifty in first T20I
Key Performances and Records
Batting Highlights
| Player | Format | Runs | Against | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saim Ayub | ODI | 77 | 3rd ODI | February 2026 |
| Saim Ayub | T20I | 71* | 2nd T20I | February 2026 |
| Reeza Hendricks | T20I | 53 | 1st T20I | January 2026 |
| Dewald Brevis | Test | 54 | 1st Test | February 2026 |
Bowling Highlights
| Player | Format | Figures | Against | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nauman Ali | Test | 6/86 & 4/64 | 1st Test | February 2026 |
| Abrar Ahmed | ODI | 4/27 | 3rd ODI | February 2026 |
| Faheem Ashraf | T20I | 4/21 | 2nd T20I | February 2026 |
| Salman Mirza | T20I | 3/18 | 2nd T20I | February 2026 |
Series Analysis and Takeaways
Pakistan’s Strengths
- Spin Dominance: Nauman Ali and Abrar Ahmed proved match-winners on home conditions, consistently troubling South African batters
- Saim Ayub’s Emergence: The young all-rounder announced himself with match-winning performances across formats
- Bowling Depth: Shaheen Afridi led a potent pace attack complemented by quality spinners
South Africa’s Takeaways
- Competitive Across Formats: Despite series losses in Tests and ODIs, South Africa pushed Pakistan hard
- Promising Youngsters: Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-dre Pretorius showed glimpses of their potential
- T20I Specialists: The Proteas remained formidable in the shortest format, winning the T20I series