South Africa bounce back as Pakistan surrender at their own backyard in Rawalpindi | Sports

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In Rawalpindi, Pakistan didn’t just lose a Test match, they surrendered a position of advantage, authority and identity on their soil. South Africa’s eight-wicket defeat in the second Test was not an accident of circumstances, luck or weather. It was a failure of planning, mentality, temperament, and the very cricketing fundamentals that formed the backbone of a winning Test side.

Pakistan may have a spinning track of their choice as a home advantage but the players must also learn how to handle these strips.

On pitches designed to support Pakistan, it was South Africa who understood the script better, adapted quickly, and executed with clinical precision. The series ended 1-1, but the impression left behind is more troubling: Pakistan are still unsure how to play at the levels they are desperate to prepare others for.

For years, pundits have argued that Pakistan’s home advantage lies in its slower, twistier tracks, surfaces where local spinners know angles, drifts and fields. And yes, the Rawalpindi pitch offered turn, bite and uneven bounce. But situations don’t win you matches, understanding these situations.

Pakistan’s batting line-up, even with familiarity, looked hesitant, reactive and uncertain in their shot selection. The Proteas, on the other hand, arrived in Rawalpindi wounded by their Lahore defeat, and responded with aplomb.

His spin duo, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, introduced a way of bowling on such surfaces: patient lines, consistent fields, relentless pressure. Harmer’s career-best 6-50 in Pakistan’s second innings wasn’t a spell—it was the method.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s own spinners, despite being at home, lacked the same discipline, variation and clarity of plans. On the contrary, it was painful. Cricket is a game of sessions, and sometimes partnerships that defy logic.

South Africa’s partnership between the ninth and tenth wickets, which saw 169 runs, was a defining moment of the Test. It wasn’t just the runs, it was the belief that was transferred across the field.

Kagiso Rabada and Senoran Mithosami batted with purpose, clarity and bravery. Pakistan’s bowlers were looking, lacking in defense and ideas. That 71-run lead, which should have been manageable, should have psychologically crushed Pakistan’s resilience. This is where good teams press, and weak teams fade away. Unfortunately, Pakistan faded away.

“We have a lot of work to do,” admitted Shaun Masood, a thoughtful and technically gifted cricketer, after the match. Unfortunately, this statement has become a theme rather than a reflection. Masood now has 10 defeats in 14 Tests as captain, numbers that point to systemic issues, not just tactical memorization.

Pakistan’s third innings batting continues to fall apart regularly. Their lower order contributes least. His fielding intensity fluctuates wildly. And on home pitches, they seem confused between attack and defence. These are coaching, planning, and leadership challenges, not bad days.

A lot was expected of Babar Azam, whose bat has been unusually quiet since December 2022. His dismissal once again highlighted the burden of expectation, and the fact that Pakistan lacks secondary batting pillars to support him.

Until Pakistan develop reliable batting partners who can anchor, resist and rebuild, Babar’s struggles will remain symptomatic of a deep structural flaw.

After the Test, Aidan Markram’s words were telling. South Africa considered the tour as India’s preparation. He studied the behavior of the pitch, improved his spin strategies, and helped his bowlers to reject the pace. Pakistan, meanwhile, continues to rely on system rather than planning, instinct rather than passion. Markram said: “The players give confidence to the whole dressing room by raising their hands at key moments.”

That belief was visible in every South African performance, even when they were under pressure. If Pakistan is to regain its stature in Test cricket, the following must be addressed immediately: Develop a strong lower order that can resist and contribute to the pressure. Refine your spin bowling strategy to include patience, not just turn. Improve fielding quality, drop chances are match killers. Rebuilding mental strength, matches must be fought, not surrendered. Embrace long-term planning, not short-term level-based tactics and home advantage only makes sense if your team is ready to command it.

A third Test could have given Pakistan a chance to redeem themselves, but now, as the focus shifts to the T20Is, the lessons should not be buried under the short format excitement. South Africa left Pakistan with confidence, strategy solidified, and belief boosted. Not about talent. There is always talent in Pakistan. But about discipline. Clarity Identification and willingness to evolve.

Rawalpindi should not be simply forgotten as “a test lost”. This should be remembered as a lesson in health, from a side that respects the situation more than the team they own. If Pakistan really want to return to the upper echelons of Test cricket, this should be the turning point. Not the beginning of another fall.

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