The cricket match between the Pakistan National Cricket Team and the South Africa National Cricket Team always provides fans with some of the most thrilling and memorable moments in international cricket. People always love to see these teams’ timeline and stats. Their matches always leave a historical spot on people heart. In this article we will know about Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline, Stats and their memorable moments from starting to till the date of 2024.
Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline
Technically, the cricketing battle between Pakistan and South Africa began only after South Africa returned to international cricket at the beginning of the 1990s. These two teams first faced each other way back in 1992 just after South Africa’s return to global cricket, and their matches have been a thrilling battle in the sport since then.
1992: The First Encounter
- Date: 8 March 1992
- Venue: Brisbane, Australia
- Type: ODI-World Cup Match
Pakistan vs South Africa first encounter in 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup. A match where South Africa performed well in a rain-hit game and beat Pakistan by 20 runs. The nature of rivalry was competitive. The match played by both turned out to be something from which South Africa came to be known as a robust team and Pakistan ended up winning the World Cup.
1994/95: First Test Series
- Series: South Africa to Pakistan
- Type: Tests
South Africa toured Pakistan in 1994 for their first Test series against the home team. Pakistan and South Africa played out a two-match Test series that ended up being drawn out. There were positives on both sides, with Pakistan’s potent batting and South Africa’s strong bowling capable of cancelling each other out.
1996/97: First Test Series Victory for South Africa in Pakistan
- Series: South Africa’s Tour of Pakistan
- Results: South Africa won the series 1-0
In 1997, for the second Test series to South Africa in Pakistan, South Africa finally outstruck their opponents and won the series 1-0. This was the first-ever Test series win by South Africa in Pakistan.
1998: Pakistan’s First Test Series Win in South Africa
Series: Pakistan’s Tour of South Africa
Results: Pakistan won the series 1-0
1998: Pakistan tours South Africa for the first time, winning the series 1-0, their first-ever Test series victory in South Africa. The team performed exceptionally well throughout the series with the Pakistani bowlers and both teams showing incredible performances
2003: ICC Cricket World Cup Showdown
- Date: 8 March 2003
- Venue: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Match: ODI – World Cup
Pakistan’s team played against South Africa in a game held at the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup. Pakistan was not able to run down the total on South Africa’s score, and hence lost the match with a margin of 67 runs. Still, the game proved the aggressive rivalry between the two teams, brilliant talent with tenacity to surpass the competition.
2007-2008: Thrilling Test Series
- Series: South Africa’s Tour of Pakistan
- Format: Test Matches
The visiting South African side presented immense competition in the Test series when they toured Pakistan during the 2007-2008 season. The teams won the series with two matches, 1-0; the remaining Test ended up being a draw. It was a thrilling period when both teams exhibited marvelous performances and tried their strength and stability in unbearable situations.
2013-2014: Dominance in UAE
- Date: Nov 2013 – Jan 2014
- Venue: UAE
- Types: Tests and ODIs
Pakistan and South Africa had a Test series in the UAE during 2013, where Pakistan surprised everybody by defeating South Africa in the first Test with a dramatic victory. It was the shift of rivalry with Pakistan emerging the more dominant force at the neutral ground. The limited-overs series was reclaimed back by South Africa when they secured both ODI and T20 over Pakistan.
2019: South Africa Won the Test Series
- Series: Pakistan’s Tour of South Africa
- Format: Test Matches
South Africa whitewashed the Test series 3-0 in the year 2019. The tour was the first-time victory for South African cricket under their own roof as the fast bowlers made life quite discomforting for Pakistani batsmen to face.
2021: Pakistan’s Victory on Home Soil
- Series: South Africa Tour of Pakistan
- Result: Pakistan took both Test and T20 series.
South Africa last toured Pakistan after a gap of twelve years since 2007 on a full tour in 2021. Pakistan whitewashed them in the two-match Test series, which was considered a great triumph over the touring side. In the T20 series, Pakistan once again emerged as the winner, pocketing a 2-1 victory.
This tour is the most historical moment for Pakistan as they defended their home at any cost.
Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Stats
The Pakistan-South Africa encounters have always been very tight matches, be it in the formats of the game. Here are some interesting facts related to the rivalry between these teams:
Overall Head-to-Head as of 2023
Test Matches:
- Total Matches: 28
- Won by Pakistan: 6
- Won by South Africa: 15
- Resulted in Drawn: 7
One Day Internationals (ODIs):
- Total Matches: 82
- Won by Pakistan: 30
- Won by South Africa: 51
- No Results: 1
Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is):
- Total Matches: 21
- Won by Pakistan: 11
- Won by South Africa: 10
Highest Individual Scores
Test Matches: The individual highest score achieved in Tests so far for both teams is Jacques Kallis’s 173 not out.
ODIs: In ODIs, the match saw Hashim Amla come up with a 153 run play. This is the highest individual ODI score between Pakistan and South Africa so far.
T20Is: Babar Azam, in 2021, scored 122 runs; this happens to be the top individual score in T20Is so far achieved by both the nations.
Leading Wicket-Takers
Test Matches: Dale Steyn is the individual with the most wickets taken against Pakistan by South Africa, with 61 wickets.
ODIs: In the case of ODIs, Imran Tahir tops with 42 wickets against Pakistan.
T20Is: 17 matches for Pakistan were taken by Wahab Riaz in T20Is.
Memorable Moments and Rivalry Highlights
Saqlain Mushtaq Hat-Trick: In 1996, Saqlain Mushtaq created history by taking a hat-trick against South Africa in ODI format. He became the first Pakistani to do so.
Shoaib Akhtar’s Fastest Ball: One of the fastest deliveries ever bowled was by Shoaib Akhtar against South Africa in 2003 at more than 160 kph. This exposed his explosive pace and earned him the title “Rawalpindi Express.”
Pakistan’s Spin Dominance in 2021: Pakistan’s spinners led by Yasir Shah dominated the South African batsmen during their Test series in 2021, establishing their supremacy on turning tracks.
Conclusion
History, great performances, and tight competition have shaped the cricket match between Pakistan National Cricket Team and South Africa National Cricket Team. Every time the two teams play, a new level of intensity and thrill is created, which makes one of the most thrilling rivalries in cricket. There’s much to be seen in the years to come, and fans worldwide await the next head-to-head encounters between these two teams.
Also read about: Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline and Stats
