Pakistan’s Record Follow-On Effort Falls Short as South Africa Secures Series Win

South Africa breezed through a target of just 58 runs to claim a dominant 10-wicket victory over Pakistan at Newlands on Monday. With the sun shining brightly, they wrapped up the second and final Test match within four days, taking the series 2-0.

Despite Pakistan’s strong fightback in their second innings—where they scored a remarkable 478 runs after being forced to follow on—the result remained unchanged. Captain Shan Masood led the charge with a superb 145 runs on a pitch that offered little challenge for batters. However, South African bowlers Kagiso Rabada (3-115) and Keshav Maharaj (3-137) chipped away at the wickets, taking advantage of some poor shot choices by Pakistan’s batters.

South Africa’s chase was swift and decisive. David Bedingham, stepping in as an opener due to Ryan Rickelton’s hamstring injury, smashed a quick 44 off just 30 balls to seal the win in just 7.1 overs.

South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, calling it “good old Test cricket.” He highlighted how the pitch initially offered something for the bowlers before becoming easier for batters. Bavuma added that while there were moments where the team faltered, the lessons learned would help them grow stronger as a unit.

This victory marked South Africa’s seventh consecutive Test win, their second-best streak in history. The timing couldn’t be better as they gear up for the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s from June 11-15.

On the fourth day, Pakistan resumed their innings at 213 for one but faced an uphill battle as their batter Saim Ayub was unable to play due to an ankle fracture sustained while fielding earlier in the match. Despite the flat pitch offering minimal help to bowlers, South Africa managed to make steady breakthroughs.

In the morning session, Khurram Shahzad fell for 18 after being caught at point off Marco Jansen. Rabada then dismissed Kamran Ghulam for 28 with a sharp delivery that hit the off-stump. After lunch, South Africa took the new ball and struck quickly. The key wicket of Masood came when 18-year-old Kwena Maphaka—South Africa’s youngest Test player—trapped him leg-before-wicket. Saud Shakeel followed soon after, caught at second slip off Rabada for 23.

Pakistan showed some resistance through Mohammad Rizwan (41) and Salman Agha (48), but both were eventually dismissed by Maharaj. Aamer Jamal contributed a breezy 34 but couldn’t extend his stay as Maharaj claimed his wicket too.

Pakistan’s second-innings total of 478 is now the highest follow-on score ever achieved by a visiting team in South Africa. It was a significant improvement after being bowled out for just 194 in their first innings. Reflecting on the match, captain Shan Masood admitted that Pakistan had started poorly with both bat and ball, allowing South Africa to pile up 615 runs in their first innings. However, he praised his team’s resilience and individual efforts during the fightback. Masood emphasized the need for Pakistan to learn how to seize critical moments in matches moving forward.

While Pakistan’s determined effort earned them respect, South Africa’s dominance throughout the series left no doubt about their superiority. With their form peaking at just the right time, South Africa looks well-prepared for their upcoming showdown at Lord’s.