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The last cricket match between South Africa and Pakistan until October 29, 2025, was the first T20I of a three-match bilateral series, played on October 28, 2025, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. South Africa achieved a competitive total of 194/7 in 20 overs, thanks to a strong performance from Reeza Hendricks, who scored 60 runs on 40 balls, along with notable contributions from Quinton de Kock (returning to the T20I) and debutant Tony de Zorzi.
Pakistan, in response, struggled against the disciplined South African bowling attack, led by Corbin Bosch (4/14) and Lizaad Williams (2/21), and was eliminated with a total of 139 runs in 18.1 overs. This resulted in a 55-run victory for South Africa, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.
The top of Pakistan’s batting order, including Babar Azam (who went scoreless in his return to the T20), underperformed, with chronic problems handling no-hit pitches (a high percentage of no-hit pitches) that slowed the game’s pace.
South Africa’s pitchers, especially Bosch’s economical 17-0 performance, effectively capitalized on the conditions in Rawalpindi.
Player of the Game: Corbin Bosch for his decisive pitching performance.
(For context, the tour also included a 1-1 draw in the Test series in early October. Pakistan won the first Test by 93 runs in Lahore, and South Africa leveled the series with an 8-wicket victory in the second Test in Rawalpindi. Additionally, in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, on October 21, South Africa defeated Pakistan by 150 runs (DLS method) in Colombo, but this predates the main topic of the query.)
This victory in the T20I represents a good start for South Africa in the white-ball stage of their tour, boosting their confidence after the draw in the closely contested Test series. It highlights the depth of their seam-pitching body, with emerging talents like Bosch stepping up in the absence of resting stars.
For Pakistan, the defeat exposes persistent vulnerabilities in their T20 batting, particularly batting rotation and handling pressure in pursuit, which have plagued them since their early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The uproar on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), amplified this situation, with fans and analysts pointing to Babar Azam’s zero as symbolic of the team’s overall struggles, reigniting debates about selection and strategy under new white-ball cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan.
In the broader bilateral context, the result tips the scales in South Africa’s favor ahead of the second T20I on October 31 in Lahore and the subsequent ODI. It also underscores Pakistan’s struggles at home in T20I in Rawalpindi, marking only their third defeat there in this format.
For South Africa: The victory ends an 18-month winless streak in T20I away matches and provides valuable practice for the batsmen ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. This could solidify coach Rob Walter’s strategy of combining experience (from Kock) with youth (from Zorzi, Bosch), potentially influencing the squad selection for the upcoming series against India and Australia.
For Pakistan: A blow to morale, especially after the draw in the Test series. Babar’s poor scoring fuels speculation about his T20 future, while the collapse of the middle order (with wickets being lost in bursts) raises questions about the team’s adaptability. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi could face calls for a batsman overhaul, including greater participation in domestic T20 matches. On the positive side, it forces introspection ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Pakistan will host key matches.
Implications for the series and the tour: South Africa now seeks a resounding victory in the T20I to cap off a tour that has boosted their morale. Pakistan risks a 0-3 run in white-ball matches if they falter in Lahore, which would affect their ranking (both teams hover around 5th-6th in the T20I standings). Commercially, the match drew a large audience in Pakistan (over 10 million viewers on local television), but a defeat could dampen fan enthusiasm.
South Africa’s impeccable performance reaffirms its status as an emerging power in the T20, combining the experience of the old guard with the talent of young prospects to overcome a struggling Pakistan.
For the hosts, this defeat is a stark reminder that home-field advantage is not enough: systemic problems such as low batting average (Pakistan averaged just 7.72 runs per inning) and tactical rigidity must be addressed urgently.
As X users pointed out, “Pakistan’s null-ball demon strikes again,” summarizing a bad habit that has cost them dearly in recent years.
The series now moves to Lahore, where Pakistan’s pitchers could turn things around, but without improvements in their batting, another defeat looms.
Ultimately, this game serves as a microcosm of both teams’ trajectories: South Africa’s constant evolution versus Pakistan’s well-known instability. Fireworks are expected at the decisive match, with wider implications for rebuilding white ball teams ahead of world events.
