South Africa | Pakistan

Spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets as South Africa thrashed India by 408 runs in the second Test on Wednesday to sweep the series and condemn the hosts to a record loss. It was South Africa’s first series win in India in 25 years, after bowling the home team out for a dismal 140 in a mammoth chase of 549 on day five in Guwahati. India suffered their biggest Test defeat by runs and a fifth loss in seven home Tests, having been whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand last year. Off-spinner Harmer, 36, returned figures of 6-37 as South Africa clinched a Test series in India for only the second time, the first in 2000 under Hansie Cronje. “Winning a Test match and series in India is very special,” said left-arm quick Marco Jansen, who returned figures of 6-48 in India’s first innings after smashing a quickfire 93 with the bat. Jansen, named player of the match, added: “Very well done to everyone for putting their hand up and making this happen.” India lost the opening Test in Kolkata inside three days on a pitch with u...

South Africa said on Friday the rate of violence against women in the country was a national disaster, as thousands protested to highlight the problem ahead of this weekend’s G20 summit of world leaders. The country has one of the world’s highest rates of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), leading to deaths five times higher than the global average, according to the United Nations’s gender equality organisation UN Women. In one of dozens of “lie-in” protests countrywide, thousands of people dressed in black lay on the ground for 15 minutes at an event in Johannesburg’s city centre, just a few kilometres (miles) from the venue where G20 leaders will meet on Saturday and Sunday. Organisers said the action was to honour the 15 women murdered every day in South Africa. A 2022 government survey found that one in three South African women had experienced physical violence, and almost 10 per cent had faced sexual violence. More than 10,700 cases of rape were reported to police in the first three months of 20...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was earlier reported to have skipped out on attending an Asean summit to avoid broaching the issue of Pakistan in a possible meeting with United States President Donald Trump, will be attending the G20 summit in South Africa which has been boycotted by the American leader. The Kolkata-based Telegraph reported that Modi had avoided the last two multilateral platforms where the US President was present — the Asean summit in Malaysia and Trump’s Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt — “resulting in speculation that the prime minister was trying to avoid a meeting with the American leader till the India-US trade deal is finalised”. Trump’s administration has said it will not attend the first G20 summit in Africa, alleging that the host country, previously ruled by its white minority apartheid system until 1994, discriminates against white people. The US president has also rejected South Africa’s agenda for the November 22-23 summit of promoting solidarity and helping developing natio...

Quinton de Kock’s masterful unbeaten 123 powered South Africa to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second One-day International at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Thursday, levelling the three-match series 1-1 with a chase completed in just 40.1 overs. Chasing 270, South Africa openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and de Kock made a confident start, adding 81 in 11.5 overs. Pretorius, dropped by Mohammad Nawaz at deep square, raced to 46 off 40 balls with seven fours and a six before edging Mohammad Wasim to Rizwan. De Kock reached his fifty off 55 balls and accelerated seamlessly. De Kock anchored with poise and power for his 22nd ODI century, and Tony de Zorzi, whose aggressive 76 off 63 balls formed a match-winning 153-run partnership for the second wicket with the former after Pretorius had set the tone with 46. De Zorzi shifted gears immediately upon arrival, smashing two sixes off Nawaz in the 23rd over. He fell in the 35th over after hitting nine fours and three sixes — chipping a leading...

After the bowlers had done their job, the batters came good for Pakistan — albeit an all too familiar late collapse — at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Tuesday. In the first international match at the venue in 17 years, Pakistan marked the start of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s era as One-day International captain with a two-wicket victory over South Africa to strike the opening blow in the three-match series. Shaheen had won the toss and elected to field with his side riding on inspired spells of bowling by pacer Naseem Shah and spinners Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed to bowl South Africa out for 263. South Africa had got off to the ideal start with half-centuries for debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius (57) and the returning Quinton de Kock (63) — the duo sharing a 98-run opening stand. But with the exception of skipper Matthew Breetzke (42) and Corbin Bosch (41) in the end, none of their batters could get going as Naseem (3-40), Saim (2-39) and Abrar (3-53) scythed through their line-up. Half-centuries by Salman Ali Agha ...

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has been suspended for Pakistan’s first two ODI matches against South Africa on November 4 and 6 after the ICC sanctioned several Indian and Pakistani players on Tuesday for breaching the Code of Conduct during matches played at the Asia Cup. Haris and Sahibzada Farhan were reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in September for gestures made during the Asia Cup Super Four match against arch-rivals India, ESPNCricinfo reported. “Rauf was seen responding to heckling from Indian fans by signalling 6-0 with his hands and making gestures depicting the downing of aircraft, in apparent reference to the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year,” the report read. “Farhan had celebrated his fifty by mimicking a gunshot.” In a press release today, ICC confirmed the outcomes of several Code of Conduct proceedings arising duirng the Asia Cup. “The hearings were conducted by members of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees following incidents in the m...

Babar Azam showed his mastery with the bat after Shaheen Shah Afridi led a sparkling bowling performance from Pakistan as the hosts cruised to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the series-deciding third T20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Shaheen picked up 3-26, being the standout of Pakistan’s bowling attack, in which Faheem Ashraf and debutant Usman Tariq picked up two wickets each, as South Africa were restricted to 139-9 after being put into bat. Babar then provided an anchor in the chase with a brilliant 68, featuring nine fours, as Pakistan eased to victory with six balls to spare. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team on X, saying, “Very well-played boys in Green!” He also commended Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his team for their “great efforts”. In a statement, Naqvi hailed Babar’s batting and Shaheen’s bowling skills for playing an “important role” in the win. Conveying his congratulations to Captain Salman Agha, Head Coach Mike Hesson and...

Babar Azam showed his mastery with the bat after Shaheen Shah Afridi led a sparkling bowling performance from Pakistan as the hosts cruised to a four-wicket victory over South Africa in the series-deciding third Twenty20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Shaheen picked up 3-26, being the standout of Pakistan’s bowling attack, in which Faheem Ashraf and debutant Usman Tariq picked up two wickets each, as South Africa were restricted to 139-9 after being put into bat. Babar then provided an anchor in the chase with a brilliant 68, featuring nine fours, as Pakistan eased to victory with six balls to spare. Shaheen got Pakistan off to a flyer with two wickets halfway through the first over and almost bagged a third victim two balls later. Opener Quinton de Kock’s stumps were undone on the second ball of the innings with a delivery that jagged back, found an edge and clattered into the woodwork. On the very next ball, Lhuan-dre Pretorious then spooned a catch to Usman Tariq at short fine-leg. Pakis...

Opener Saim Ayub hit a blistering half century after pacers starred as Pakistan thrashed South Africa by nine wickets in the second Twenty20 International of the three-match series to level it 1-1. Saim smashed an unbeaten 71 off 38, hitting six fours and five sixes, to help Pakistan chase down the paltry 111-run target in the 14th over. Earlier, Faheem Ashraf and Salman Mirza had kept South Africa quiet with a brilliant pace bowling show. Pakistan openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim had seen the side cruise to 49-0 by the end of the powerplay with a measured approach with no pressure on them whatsoever. But right at the end of the period, Corbin Bosch trapped Sahibzada lbw with his pace. However, the incoming Babar Azam triggered raucous roars among the capacity crowds, getting off the mark with a scintillating cover drive. Saim too carried on, launching Ottneil Baartman for a huge six over long-on as Pakistan edged closer to the small target. The southpaw followed that up with a powerful cut through the off-s...

Pakistan’s brittle batting line-up imploded once again as South Africa romped to a comprehensive 55-run victory in the first Twenty20 International at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night, bowling the hosts out for a paltry 139 in 18.1 overs while chasing 195. Corbin Bosch, the 30-year-old seamer, produced a masterclass in death bowling to finish with career-best figures of 4-14, while left-arm spinner George Linde chipped in with 3-31 as Pakistan lost their last seven wickets for just 58 runs after a sedate powerplay. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, promoted to set the tone, managed a cautious 31 before Lizaad Williams shattered Farhan’s stumps with a nip-backer for 24 off 19 balls. The dismissal brought Babar Azam to the crease for his much-anticipated T20I comeback, but the former skipper lasted just two deliveries, chipping a short-of-length ball from Bosch straight to cover for a golden duck. Skipper Salman Ali Agha’s wretched night continued when he was trapped plumb in front by Bosch...

ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Saturday here hosted dinner in honour of cricket teams of South Africa and Pakistan.

South Africa beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday to draw the series 1-1 with Simon Harmer taking a maiden five-wicket haul. The 36-year-old off-spinner finished with 6-50, taking his 1,000th first-class wicket in the process, on a deteriorating Rawalpindi stadium pitch. South Africa reached the 68-run target for the loss of captain Aiden Markram (42) and Tristan Stubbs (nought), both to spinner Noman Ali, who finished with 2-40. Ryan Rickelton, who scored 25 not out, hit Sajid Khan for a six to seal an emphatic win minutes before the lunch break for the World Test Championship holders. In another battle of spinners, Pakistan managed 333 in their first innings before the South African tail wagged to help them pile up 404 for a crucial 71-run lead. Spinners took 34 of the 40 wickets to fall in the first Test in Lahore, which Pakistan won by 93 runs. Thursday’s morning session saw Pakistan’s batters fold, adding just 44 runs after resuming the fourth day on 94-4. Harmer to...

Former captain Babar Azam has made a return to Pakistan’s T20I squad as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced squads for the upcoming white-ball series. The National Selection Committee named a 15-member squad for the T20I series against South Africa to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from October 28 to November 1. The same squad will be playing the T20I tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe to be staged at the same venues from Nov 17-29. In the T20I squad, Babar, Abdul Samad and Naseem Shah have made a comeback to the side after missing out on previous events. Usman Tariq is the only uncapped player included in the T20I squad, according to the PCB press release. A 16-member squad has also been announced for the ODI series against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Pakistan and South Africa, who are currently playing the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, will also feature in a three-match ODI series to be held at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from Nov 4-8. The ODI series will...

Simon Harmer grabbed three early wickets to push South Africa closer to a series-levelling victory over a faltering Pakistan in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Wednesday. Harmer took 3-26 as Pakistan ended the third day on a precarious 94-4 — just 23 runs ahead with six wickets and two days remaining on a spin-spiced Rawalpindi stadium pitch. Pakistan’s last hopes rest on Babar Azam, unbeaten on 49, and Mohammad Rizwan, 16 not out, as they strive to win the two-match series, having won the first Test by 93 runs in Lahore. South Africa piled up 404 runs after Senuran Muthusamy scored a career-best 89 not out and Kagiso Rabada posted his highest Test score of 71, giving the visitors a crucial 71-run lead. The home team scored 333 in their first innings. With their backs to the wall, Pakistan’s second innings started disastrously as opener Imam-ul-Haq (nine) and skipper Shan Masood (nought) fell to Harmer with the score at 16. It became 16-3 when Rabada had Abdullah Shafique caught in the slips for six. Harmer ...

Pakistan were already staring at defeat before the relentless rains, stop-start in manner, in Colombo sealed their fate. Fatima Sana’s side crashed out of the ICC Women’s World Cup on Tuesday after a crushing 150-run defeat (DLS method) to South Africa in their penultimate match of the league stage at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan needed a victory to have any chance of staying alive in the last-four race and already-qualified South Africa, but chasing a target that was revised with every downpour, they stood little chance after the Proteas amassed 312-9 in 40 overs. Speaking after the match, skipper Fatima said: “I think today is the day bowlers didn’t perform well. We have to accept it. They played very well, but we needed to be calmer in those situations. “I think after the second over, and after the rain, it was a different situation because the conditions and the ball were wet.” The pacer added that the bowlers tried to find rhythm, but it was very difficult to bowl in those conditions. The first sho...

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named the Pakistan men’s One-day International (ODI) team captain, the country’s cricket board announced on Monday. The national side’s pace spearhead will lead Pakistan in the upcoming three-match series against South Africa. Shaheen replaces Mohammad Rizwan as the Pakistan ODI skipper after the wicket-keeper led the team during a disastrous ICC Champions Trophy campaign before series losses in New Zealand and the West Indies. Rizwan, handed captaincy in 2024, had led the team to series wins in South Africa, Australia and Zimbabwe in his early days as captain, however. But the recent failures apparently were a decisive enough factor for the Pakistan Cricket Board to sack Rizwan. For Shaheen, it’s going to be a second stint as the Pakistan captain, the left-armer having been snubbed after a short spell — five T20Is against New Zealand — at the helm after replacing Babar Azam in late 2023 following Pakistan’s dismal World Cup campaign. The 25-year-old, who has been capt...

Pakistan bowler Rameen Shamim said on Monday that although the weather was out of their control, the team was trying their best to make the semi-finals ahead of their pivotal South Africa ICC Women’s World Cup encounter on Tuesday. Monsoon rains in Colombo have seen Pakistan’s last two matches end in washouts against England and New Zealand, respectively, costing the team a chance to pick up more points in their last-four push. The washed-out New Zealand fixture on Saturday saw South Africa become the second team to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament, with the Green Shirts still searching for their first win. Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Colombo, Rameen said: “Yeah, obviously, rain is not in our control. We cannot control the weather. Yeah, unfortunately, we are upset because we were up to the mark against England. “… But we are confident because we played some good cricket in the last two matches. And now we have to play against South Africa and Sri Lanka.” The off-spinner added t...

Pakistan punished poor catching from South Africa to accumulate 259-5 on the opening day of the second and final Test in Rawalpindi on Monday. Had the tourists not dropped five catches on a turning pitch they would have been in a better position after Pakistan won the toss and batted. Skipper Shan Masood, dropped on 71 off a luckless Keshav Maharaj, top-scored with 87 while Abdullah Shafique — dropped four times — made 57. Saud Shakeel and Salman Agha will resume on Tuesday unbeaten on 42 and 10 respectively, with the home team seeking a 2-0 series win against the world Test champions. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada trapped Mohammad Rizwan with the fifth delivery with the second new ball for 19 to give some respite to his team. Maharaj, who missed the first Test in Lahore through injury, took 2-63 and fellow spinner Simon Harmer 2-75. With the bulk of the bowling done by Maharaj and Harmer, spinner Senuran Muthusamy — who took 11 wickets in the first Test — was surprisingly used for just four overs. The fi...

Pakistan is relying on its spin strength to seal the Test series against South Africa after defeating the Proteas men in the first Test match in Lahore on Wednesday, interim red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood said at a press conference ahead of the second match on Monday. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali was South Africa’s chief tormentor as Pakistan won the first Test by 93 runs. Set a daunting 277-run target for victory, the visitors and World Test champions were bowled out for 183 on day four. “The pre-series camp was aimed at adapting spin on these types of pitches; different shots, scoring options,” Azhar said at the presser. “We’re trying that if we play this method at home, then we’ll know how to play spin.” Azhar noted that the playing XI will be decided the morning of the match after seeing pitch conditions, saying there is a possibility of some changes, “but not too many”. “With regards to the toss, we don’t want that the whole match is decided by the toss. “I said this before the series as well, that thes...

Pakistan men’s Test captain Shan Masood said the challenge was to perform consistently after the Green Shirts’win against South Africa on Wednesday in the first Test. Left-arm spinner Noman Ali was South Africa’s chief tormentor as Pakistan won a gripping first Test by 93 runs at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Set a daunting 277-run target for victory, the visitors and World Test champions were bowled out for 183 on day four. Speaking at the post-match press conference, skipper Shan said: “The message is this — we are playing good cricket against quality oppostions. “But at the same time, the challenge is that we need to consistently perform and win matches against top teams.” He added that talk regarding the first and second divisions of teams in Test cricket would become moot as a result. Shan also said that mistakes were made, and although there was room to work around them in home conditions, there might not be similar chances in away conditions. South African left-armer Senuran Muthusamy took 11-174 in the ma...