South Africa National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline

Cricket fan from passionately following the highs and heartbreaks of international cricket. I love diving deep into South Africa vs Pakistan clashes—epic chases, fiery spells, and unforgettable moments. From classic Test battles to modern T20 thrillers, I enjoy analyzing stats, rivalries, and the legends who light up the game.”

Latest Matches

Tournament	Venue	Date	Toss	SA Score	PAK Score	Result	Series	Player of the Match
Bilateral ODI	Faisalabad	Nov 8, 2025	N/A	143	144/3 (25.1)	Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 149 balls remaining)	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral ODI	Faisalabad	Nov 6, 2025	N/A	270/2 (40.1)	269/9	South Africa won by 8 wickets (with 59 balls remaining)	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral ODI	Lahore	Nov 4, 2025	N/A	263	264/8 (49.4)	Pakistan won by 2 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral T20I	Lahore	Nov 1, 2025	N/A	139/9	140/6 (19)	Pakistan won by 4 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral T20I	Lahore	Oct 31, 2025	N/A	110	112/1 (13.1)	Pakistan won by 9 wickets (with 41 balls remaining)	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral T20I	Rawalpindi	Oct 28, 2025	N/A	194/9	139 (18.1)	South Africa won by 55 runs	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral Test	Rawalpindi	Oct 20-23, 2025	N/A	404 & 73/2	333 & 138	South Africa won by 8 wickets	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral Test	Lahore	Oct 12-15, 2025	N/A	269 & 183	378 & 167	Pakistan won by 93 runs	South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025/26	N/A
Bilateral Test	Cape Town	Jan 3-6, 2025	N/A	615 & 58/0	194 & 478	South Africa won by 10 wickets	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A
Bilateral Test	Centurion	Dec 26-29, 2024	N/A	301 & 150/8	211 & 237	South Africa won by 2 wickets	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A
Bilateral ODI	Johannesburg	Dec 22, 2024	N/A	271 (42)	308/9 (47)	Pakistan won by 36 runs (DLS method)	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A
Bilateral ODI	Cape Town	Dec 19, 2024	N/A	248 (43.1)	329	Pakistan won by 81 runs	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A
Bilateral ODI	Paarl	Dec 17, 2024	N/A	239/9	242/7 (49.3)	Pakistan won by 3 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A
Bilateral T20I	Johannesburg	Dec 14, 2024	N/A	–	–	Match abandoned without a ball bowled	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A
Bilateral T20I	Centurion	Dec 13, 2024	N/A	210/3 (19.3)	206/5	South Africa won by 7 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)	Pakistan tour of South Africa 2024/25	N/A

Overview of South Africa National Cricket Team

The South Africa national cricket team, the Proteas, earned Test status in 1889 and dominated early international cricket against England and Australia. Banned from 1970 to 1991 due to apartheid, they returned strongly, topping ICC rankings across formats in 2012. Known for pace bowling prowess and semi-final heartbreaks, they remain a powerhouse in modern era.

Overview of Pakistan National Cricket Team

Pakistan gained Test status in 1952 post-independence, facing early hurdles but surging in the 1980s with flair and talent. Led by Imran Khan, they clinched the 1992 World Cup, followed by 2009 T20 WC and 2017 Champions Trophy. Unpredictable yet brilliant, they’ve produced legends like Wasim Akram and Babar Azam in the modern T20-dominated era

Key Perfomance

Stat Category	Format	South Africa Performance	Pakistan Performance
Total Matches Played	Tests	28 (15 wins)	28 (6 wins, 7 draws)
Highest Team Total	Tests	620/7d (135 overs, Cape Town, Jan 2003)	Not specified in records (typically lower, e.g., 450+ in some innings)
Lowest Team Total	Tests	Not the lowest (Pakistan holds the record low)	49 all out (29.1 overs, Johannesburg, Feb 2013)
Highest Individual Batting Score	Tests	AB de Villiers 278* (418 balls, Abu Dhabi, Nov 2010)	Not top (e.g., Younis Khan 313 in 2009)
Best Bowling Figures (Innings)	Tests	Kyle Abbott 7/29 (11.4 overs, Centurion, Feb 2013)	Hasan Ali 5/38 or similar (not top in records)
Best Bowling Figures (Match)	Tests	Dale Steyn 11/60 (36.5 overs, Johannesburg, Feb 2013)	Saeed Ajmal 10/147 (match figures in 2013)
Leading Run Scorer	Tests	Jacques Kallis (1,564 runs in 19 Tests, avg 52.13)	Younis Khan (1,077 runs in 14 Tests, avg 44.87)—top Pakistani
Leading Wicket Taker	Tests	Dale Steyn (59 wickets in 13 Tests, avg 24.33)	Yasir Shah (41 wickets in 8 Tests, avg 28.41)—top Pakistani
Best Chase / Biggest Win	Tests	Biggest win by innings: innings & 142 runs (Cape Town, 2003); 10 wickets (Durban, 2002)	Chased 373/9 for historic win (Centurion, 2021)—rare Test chase success
Top Fielding Highlight	Tests	Graeme Smith (23 catches in 16 Tests); Mark Boucher (55 dismissals in 15 Tests)	Kamran Akmal (multiple stumpings/catches, but SA dominates)
Total Matches Played	ODIs	82 (51 wins)	82 (30 wins, 1 NR)
Highest Team Total	ODIs	392/6 (50 overs, Centurion, 2007)	351/4 (50 overs, Durban, 2007)
Lowest Team Total	ODIs	101 (26.5 overs, Sharjah, 2000)	89 (25 overs, Mohali, 2006)
Highest Individual Batting Score	ODIs	AB de Villiers 128 (108 balls, Johannesburg, 2013)	Fakhar Zaman 193 (155 balls, Johannesburg, 2021)
Best Bowling Figures	ODIs	Dale Steyn 6/39 (9 overs, Gqeberha, 2013)—wait, updated to 6/29 in some records	Wasim Akram 5/16 (6.1 overs, East London, 1993)
Leading Run Scorer	ODIs	AB de Villiers (1,423 runs, avg 59.29)	Mohammad Yousuf (1,116 runs, avg 34.87)
Leading Wicket Taker	ODIs	Makhaya Ntini (49 wickets, avg 20.24) / Shaun Pollock (49, avg 25.14)	Waqar Younis (58 wickets, avg 24.89)
Best Chase	ODIs	Chased 329 (for 81-run win, but not highest); narrow wins like 1 run (Cape Town, 2013)	Highest chase: 274/6 (for 1-wicket win, Chennai, 2023 WC); epic 193 by Fakhar in chase
Top Fielding Highlight	ODIs	Jacques Kallis (multiple catches; all-round impact)	Inzamam-ul-Haq (run-outs and catches in key games)
Total Matches Played	T20Is	25 (13 wins)	25 (12 wins)
Highest Team Total	T20Is	205/1 (20 overs, Centurion, 2021)	210/3 (20 overs, Lahore, 2021)
Lowest Team Total	T20Is	98/9 (20 overs, Dubai, 2013)	60/9 (19.3 overs, Johannesburg, 2007)
Highest Individual Batting Score	T20Is	Rilee Rossouw 100* (55 balls, Sydney, 2022)	Babar Azam 122 (59 balls, Lahore, 2021)
Best Bowling Figures	T20Is	Tabraiz Shamsi 4/25 (4 overs, Lahore, 2021)	Umar Gul 5/6 (2.2 overs, Johannesburg, 2007)
Leading Run Scorer	T20Is	David Miller (359 runs, avg 29.91) / Reeza Hendricks (330 runs)	Mohammad Rizwan (462 runs, avg 51.33) / Babar Azam (447 runs, avg 37.25)
Leading Wicket Taker	T20Is	George Linde (12 wickets in 7 matches, avg 16.08)	Shaheen Afridi (20 wickets in 14 matches, avg 18.25)
Best Chase	T20Is	Chased 189/4 (for 6-wicket win, Lahore, 2021)	Chased 210/3 (for 7-wicket win, Centurion, 2021)—thrilling high-score pursuit
Top Fielding Highlight	T20Is	David Miller (multiple run-outs and catches in Super Overs)	Mohammad Rizwan (stumpings and catches as keeper)

Pace, Fear, and Fire in the 1990s

As the south africa national cricket team vs pakistan national cricket team timeline moved through the mid and late 1990s, the rivalry found its true identity in fast bowling. This was an era when helmets felt optional and survival mattered more than strike rates. Pakistan’s attack, led by Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, brought late swing and hostile intent. South Africa countered with Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, bowlers who hit the pitch hard and never backed down.

Scorecards from this period read like battle reports. Top orders rarely dominated for long. One spell could flip a match inside ten overs. Batters such as Inzamam ul Haq and Gary Kirsten became symbols of resistance, not just run scorers. Every run carried pressure, and every wicket triggered roars from opposing fans.

These contests hardened both sides. Pakistan learned to grind against discipline. South Africa learned to absorb chaos. The rivalry was no longer new. It was personal, shaped by fear, respect, and the constant threat of collapse that lived inside every scorecard of the decade.

Year	Format	Series	Venue	Match Result	Margin	Top Run Scorer	Runs	Best Bowler	Figures	Player of Match
1993	Test	Pakistan tour of SA	Durban	Drawn	Match drawn	Javed Miandad	93	Allan Donald	5 for 64	Allan Donald
1994	ODI	Singer Cup	Sharjah	Pakistan won	7 wickets	Inzamam ul Haq	89	Wasim Akram	3 for 41	Inzamam ul Haq
1995	Test	SA tour of Pak	Lahore	South Africa won	8 wickets	Gary Kirsten	118	Shaun Pollock	4 for 71	Gary Kirsten
1996	ODI	World Cup	Rawalpindi	South Africa won	6 wickets	Herschelle Gibbs	89	Lance Klusener	3 for 35	Lance Klusener
1997	Test	SA tour of Pak	Faisalabad	Drawn	Match drawn	Inzamam ul Haq	104	Waqar Younis	5 for 91	Inzamam ul Haq
1998	ODI	Tri Series	Sharjah	Pakistan won	12 runs	Saeed Anwar	109	Wasim Akram	4 for 38	Saeed Anwar
1999	Test	Pak tour of SA	Cape Town	South Africa won	Innings win	Jacques Kallis	112	Allan Donald	6 for 75	Allan Donald
1999	ODI	World Cup	Nottingham	Pakistan won	5 wickets	Mohammad Yousuf	68	Waqar Younis	3 for 33	Waqar Younis

Controversies, On Field Aggression, and Mind Games

The south africa national cricket team vs pakistan national cricket team timeline is not built on runs and wickets alone. It is layered with flashpoints where tempers flared, words were exchanged, and psychological battles became as important as tactics. These moments rarely changed scorecards directly, but they altered momentum and mindset.

Fast bowlers led the aggression. Bouncers were followed by stares. Appeals lingered a second too long. South African sides were known for their relentless verbal pressure, while Pakistan responded with defiance and sudden bursts of brilliance. Batters like Inzamam ul Haq and later Babar Azam often faced fields set to intimidate, not just contain.

There were controversial umpiring calls, heated send offs, and matches where one incident shifted the tone of an entire series. Fans reacted fiercely. Social media debates followed long after the final ball. These mind games created scars and stories that players carried into the next contest. When these teams met again, memory played a role. Every short ball felt personal. Every appeal carried history.

Year	Format	Series	Venue	Incident Type	Key Players Involved	Match Result	Impact on Series
1993	Test	Pak tour of SA	Durban	Heated sledging	Allan Donald, Miandad	Drawn	Rivalry intensified
1996	ODI	World Cup	Rawalpindi	Crowd pressure	Gibbs, Akram	SA won	Pakistan morale hit
1998	ODI	Tri Series	Sharjah	Aggressive bowling	Wasim, Gibbs	Pak won	Momentum shift
2003	ODI	World Cup	Centurion	Umpiring debate	Inzamam	Pak won	Fan outrage
2007	Test	Pak tour of SA	Centurion	Short ball tactics	Shoaib, Smith	Drawn	Tactical rethink
2013	Test	SA tour of Pak	Dubai	Spin intimidation	Ajmal, Amla	Pak won	SA batting exposed
2018	Test	Pak tour of SA	Cape Town	Verbal exchanges	Rabada, Sarfaraz	SA won	Series dominance
2021	Test	Pak tour of SA	Johannesburg	Final session tension	Hasan Ali	Pak won	Historic Pak win

Record Breaking Performances That Rewrote the Rivalry

Every long rivalry needs moments that rise above context, and in the south africa national cricket team vs pakistan national cricket team timeline, record breaking performances have repeatedly reset expectations. These were not just big scores or five wicket hauls. They were statements made under pressure, often against the grain of the match.

Pakistan’s batters produced innings that combined flair with survival. Saeed Anwar’s fluency, Inzamam ul Haq’s calm dominance, and later Babar Azam’s modern consistency forced South Africa to rethink bowling plans. On the other side, South African batters answered with control and power. Jacques Kallis built innings brick by brick. AB de Villiers shattered tempo norms. Aiden Markram carried that tradition forward.

Bowling records mattered just as much. From Allan Donald’s hostile spells to Dale Steyn’s reverse swing masterclasses, wickets arrived in clusters. These performances changed series narratives and left permanent marks on scorecards. Fans remember where they were when these records happened. That is how rivalries mature, through moments that refuse to fade.

Year	Format	Venue	Player	Team	Record Type	Achievement	Opponent Score	Match Result	Lasting Impact
1995	Test	Lahore	Gary Kirsten	SA	Highest Test score	118	219 all out	SA won	Series turning point
1998	ODI	Sharjah	Saeed Anwar	Pak	Highest ODI score	109	235 for 7	Pak won	Dominant final
1999	Test	Cape Town	Allan Donald	SA	Best bowling	6 for 75	197 all out	SA won	Pace benchmark
2003	ODI	Centurion	Inzamam ul Haq	Pak	WC match best	91	253 for 6	Pak won	Pressure masterclass
2009	Test	Dubai	Younis Khan	Pak	Career best	148	379 for 4	Drawn	Batting authority
2015	ODI	Auckland	Faf du Plessis	SA	WC century	106	411 for 4	SA won	Tournament dominance
2021	Test	Johannesburg	Fawad Alam	Pak	Comeback century	109	298 all out	Pak won	Historic chase
2022	T20I	Lahore	Babar Azam	Pak	Highest T20 score	122	199 for 5	Pak won	Modern era peak
2023	ODI	Chennai	Aiden Markram	SA	Fastest WC fifty	91	297 for 8	SA won	New generation mark

2006-2013: The Golden Era of Proteas Dominance

This period belonged entirely to South Africa. Dale Steyn emerged as the most lethal fast bowler on the planet. His ability to swing the ball both ways at fierce pace, combined with pinpoint accuracy, made him unplayable. Alongside Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, South Africa built a pace attack that demolished batting lineups worldwide. Pakistan faced the brunt of this firepower. Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis piled on runs with clinical precision. AB de Villiers redefined batting innovation with strokes that defied conventional technique.

The 2007 tour of Pakistan gave South Africa their first Test series win on Pakistani soil. Kallis scored twin centuries in Karachi, while Steyn announced his arrival in Asian conditions with crucial wickets. But nothing compared to what happened at the Wanderers in 2013. February 1st became a date etched in infamy for Pakistan cricket. Chasing a mammoth total after South Africa posted 253, Pakistan crumbled to 49 all out in just 29.1 overs. Steyn took six wickets for eight runs in one of the most devastating bowling performances in Test history. Nine batsmen fell caught behind. The pace, the swing, the bounce, everything overwhelmed Pakistan. It remains their lowest Test score ever. Steyn finished with match figures of eleven for sixty, sealing a 211 run victory that showcased South Africa’s utter dominance.

Date	Venue	Format	Result	South Africa Score	Pakistan Score	Key Performer	Margin
Oct 1-5, 2007	Karachi	Test	South Africa Won	450 & 265/4d	291 & 263	Kallis (155 & 100)	160 runs
Oct 10-13, 2007	Lahore	Test	Match Drawn	416/6d & 74/1	427	Younis (173)	Draw
Nov 12-15, 2010	Dubai	Test	Match Drawn	341 & 227/2	349 & 139/5	Morkel (5/72)	Draw
Nov 18-22, 2010	Abu Dhabi	Test	Match Drawn	278 & 242/5	359	Misbah (161)	Draw
Feb 1-4, 2013	Johannesburg	Test	South Africa Won	253 & 275/3d	49 & 268	Steyn (11/60)	211 runs
Feb 14-17, 2013	Cape Town	Test	South Africa Won	326 & 182/6	338 & 169	de Villiers (103*)	4 wickets
Feb 22-24, 2013	Centurion	Test	South Africa Won	409	156 & 235 (f/o)	Steyn (6 wkts)	Innings & 18 runs
Mar 10, 2013	Bloemfontein	ODI	South Africa Won	230/6	183	du Plessis (53*)	47 runs
Mar 15, 2013	Durban	ODI	Pakistan Won	209	212/4	Hafeez (72*)	6 wickets

Head-to-Head: The Numbers That Tell the Story

Numbers never lie, and in this rivalry, they paint a fascinating portrait of dominance, resilience, and dramatic shifts in momentum. As of December 2024, South Africa and Pakistan have clashed 145 times across all formats. The Proteas hold the overall advantage with 82 wins compared to Pakistan’s 52 victories. Yet these raw statistics hide the incredible swings that define this contest. South Africa dominated Tests with 17 wins against Pakistan’s 6, along with 7 draws in 30 encounters. Their pace battery, led by Dale Steyn’s 64 wickets against Pakistan, proved almost unstoppable on home soil.

The ODI battlefield tells a similar story with South Africa winning 53 of 90 matches while Pakistan claimed 36 victories. But recent history shows shifting tides. Pakistan’s historic 3-0 whitewash in December 2024 marked the first time any team swept South Africa at home in an ODI series, a statement victory that echoed loudly. In T20Is, the contest remains perfectly balanced with both teams winning 12 matches each from 26 encounters. This format showcases Pakistan’s unpredictability against South Africa’s tactical discipline. Hashim Amla leads all South African batsmen against Pakistan with over 1400 runs across formats, while Jacques Kallis contributed both with bat and ball throughout his career. For Pakistan, Inzamam ul Haq tortured South African bowlers with elegant strokeplay, while Babar Azam has emerged as the modern torchbearer with multiple centuries across formats.

Format	Matches Played	South Africa Wins	Pakistan Wins	Draws/No Result	SA Win %	PAK Win %
Tests	30	17	6	7	56.7%	20.0%
ODIs	90	53	36	1	58.9%	40.0%
T20Is	26	12	12	2	46.2%	46.2%
Total	146	82	54	10	56.2%	37.0%

Player	Country	Format	Runs	Average	Centuries	Fifties	Highest Score
Hashim Amla	South Africa	All	1423	47.43	3	8	159*
Jacques Kallis	South Africa	All	1389	38.58	4	7	155
Inzamam-ul-Haq	Pakistan	All	1156	44.46	2	8	142
Babar Azam	Pakistan	All	987	49.35	5	4	122
AB de Villiers	South Africa	All	956	36.76	2	6	103*
Graeme Smith	South Africa	Tests	876	40.72	3	4	151
Mohammad Rizwan	Pakistan	All	745	37.25	1	5	115*
Younis Khan	Pakistan	All	723	32.86	1	5	117

Player	Country	Format	Wickets	Average	Best Figures	5-Wicket Hauls	Economy
Dale Steyn	South Africa	All	64	22.45	6/8	5	3.12
Shaheen Afridi	Pakistan	All	41	24.63	5/51	3	4.95
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	All	40	26.85	5/25	2	3.87
Kagiso Rabada	South Africa	All	39	23.17	5/59	2	4.32
Morne Morkel	South Africa	All	38	28.94	5/21	1	3.54
Waqar Younis	Pakistan	All	37	24.21	7/87	3	3.45
Imran Tahir	South Africa	ODI	22	19.36	4/21	0	4.28
Hasan Ali	Pakistan	All	21	27.42	5/34	1	5.12

Conclusion

Looking back at the south africa national cricket team vs pakistan national cricket team timeline, one truth stands clear. This rivalry has never stood still. Power has shifted, styles have evolved, and generations have changed, yet intensity has remained constant. From five day Test marathons to sudden T20 chaos, these teams have pushed each other to adapt and improve. Scorecards reveal close margins, while memories reveal lasting impact. As new players step in and tactics continue to evolve, this rivalry remains one of cricket’s most compelling narratives, still capable of producing drama, brilliance, and defining moments.

FAQs

When did South Africa and Pakistan first play international cricket against each other
They first met in the early 1990s after South Africa’s return to international cricket, marking the beginning of a competitive rivalry.

Which format has produced the most intense South Africa vs Pakistan matches
Test cricket has delivered the deepest battles, while T20 matches have added chaos and unpredictability.

Who are the most influential players in this rivalry
Players like Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Inzamam ul Haq, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, and Babar Azam have shaped key moments.

Have World Cups played a major role in this rivalry
Yes, World Cup encounters added pressure and global attention, often producing defining moments and upsets.

What makes this rivalry unique compared to others
The clash of discipline versus unpredictability, combined with shifting power balance and emotional intensity, makes it distinct.

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