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RAWALPINDI: Aiden Markram guided South Africa to a convincing eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second Test, levelling the two-match series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Skipper Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton began the 68-run chase aggressively, reaching the 50-run mark in just 10 overs.

Markram led from the front with a solid 42 runs off 45 balls, including eight boundaries, keeping his team within striking distance of victory.

However, Noman Ali dismissed Markram when South Africa needed only four runs to win.  In the same over, Noman struck again, removing new batter Tristan Stubbs for a duck.

Despite this, Rickelton ensured South Africa comfortably chased down the target without any further loss. He remained unbeaten on 25 runs off 29 balls, hitting two fours and a six, while Tony de Zorzi did not face a delivery.

Earlier, Simon Harmer claimed a career-best six-wicket haul to help South Africa dismantle Pakistan for just 138 in their second innings.

The devastating spell left the visitors needing only 68 runs to seal victory and draw level in the two-match series.

Pakistan, resuming on 94-4, were banking on former captain Babar Azam to steady the innings.

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He looked assured early on, bringing up his 30th Test fifty with trademark elegance. But just as Pakistan began to hope, Harmer struck, removing Babar for exactly 50 off 87 balls, an innings laced with seven boundaries.

From there, it was a familiar story of struggle and surrender. Mohammad Rizwan battled hard for his 18 off 64 but became Harmer’s fifth victim, leaving Pakistan’s middle order exposed once again.

The collapse continued as Noman Ali was trapped for a duck and Shaheen Shah Afridi was run out soon after, reducing the hosts to 105-8.

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Salman Ali Agha tried to counter with a brisk 28, but Keshav Maharaj removed him at a crucial stage before cleaning up Sajid Khan (13) to wrap up the innings.

Harmer’s relentless accuracy and variation earned him figures of 6-50 from 20 overs, his best in Test cricket, while Maharaj chipped in with two wickets, and Kagiso Rabada added one to his name.

READ: India adamant on not taking Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

RAWALPINDI: South Africa’s Senuran Muthusamy’s unbeaten 89* backed by Simon Harmer’s three wickets left Pakistan reeling, but Babar Azam’s composed knock ensured that Pakistan stayed in the game on the third day of the second Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Pakistan were 94-4 at the end of the day’s play, leading by 23 runs with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan at the crease.

Babar Azam made 49 from 83 balls with the aid of seven fours, while Rizwan scored 16 not out from 49 deliveries with the help of a boundary.

For South Africa, it was Simon Harmer’s magic with the ball, picking up three wickets which rattled the home side’s top-order.

The off-spinner trapped Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood lbw, which left Pakistan 16-2 in six overs. The former could only manage nine, whereas the latter could not repeat his first innings heroics and went without scoring.

The scorecard read still 16 when Kagiso Rabada removed Abdullah Shafique after scoring just six runs.

However, Babar Azam arrested the slide and added a brief 44-run stand with Saud Shakeel, which put Pakistan into the lead.

Saud scored 11 from 43 with the aid of one four before Harmer got his wicket. Meanwhile, Babar, who was in search of runs, looked composed and struck seven fours in his knock, which gave the home side some respite at stumps.

Earlier, Senuran Muthusamy and Kagiso Rabada stitched a stunning 98-run stand for the tenth wicket, helping South Africa post 404 all out before Tea.

Resuming after Lunch at 285-8, still trailing by 48 runs, South Africa’s tail launched a remarkable counterattack.

Muthusamy, who began the session unbeaten on 48, reached his second Test fifty and anchored the innings with remarkable composure.

He first forged a 71-run partnership with Keshav Maharaj, who contributed 30 off 53 balls, before falling to Noman Ali, offering Pakistan a glimmer of relief.

But Rabada had other ideas. The pacer took the attack to Pakistan’s spinners, smashing four fours and as many sixes in a blistering 71 off 61 balls, as the Proteas erased the deficit and went on to claim a 71-run first-innings lead.

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Their 98-run partnership, dominated by Rabada’s fearless hitting and Muthusamy’s calm presence, frustrated Pakistan’s bowlers for more than an hour before Asif Afridi finally ended the stand.

He trapped Rabada to complete his six-wicket haul on debut.

Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 89 off 155 deliveries, a resilient knock laced with eight boundaries.

Asif Afridi continued his dream debut, finishing with 6 for 79 in 34.3 overs, while Noman Ali picked up two wickets. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Sajid Khan claimed one apiece.

South Africa resumed Day 3 on 185-4. However, their hopes of narrowing the deficit took a blow when Kyle Verreynne departed for just 10, becoming Asif’s third victim.

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Soon after, Tristan Stubbs, who had shown remarkable composure with a 205-ball 76, fell to Afridi’s guile.

Asif Afridi, bowling with relentless accuracy, continued his rampage by trapping Simon Harmer lbw for 2, sealing his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

With wickets tumbling, Muthusamy and Marco Jansen tried to rebuild, stitching together a brief 25-run stand before Noman Ali joined the act, removing Jansen (12) to make it 235-8.

From there, Muthusamy took charge, playing with admirable composure against Pakistan’s spin duo. He found a reliable partner in Keshav Maharaj, and the pair ensured South Africa avoided further damage heading into the Lunch interval.

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RAWALPINDI: South Africa middle-order batters Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi frustrated Pakistan with a century stand, but debutant Asif Afridi struck twice in the final session to put the home side on top at Stumps.

South Africa were 185-4 at the end of the second day’s play here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Tristan Stubbs remained unbeaten on 68 from 184 balls while Kyle Verreynne was not out on 10 from 25 deliveries. The Proteas are still trailing by 148 runs, Pakistan’s first innings total.

Following the tea break, Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi continued on their merry way, notching up half-centuries which kept the visitors afloat.

They added another 81 runs, bringing the total above the 150-run mark. However, Asif trapped De Zorzi lbw to break the 114-run stand.

The left-hander departed after scoring 55 from 93 balls with the help of two fours and a maximum. The long-awaited breakthrough opened the door for Pakistan in the fading light at the Pindi stadium.

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Soon after, Asif removed Dewald Brevis for a duck to put his side on top in the Test match.

Besides, Asif Afridi, Shaheen Afridi, and Sajid Khan picked one wicket each.

At Tea, South Africa had scored 86 runs for the loss of two wickets, with Tristan Stubbs on 23 runs and Tony de Zorzi on 13 runs at the crease.

During the second session, Shaheen Afridi made an early breakthrough by dismissing Ryan Rickelton for 14 runs off 26 balls, leaving South Africa at 22-1.

Meanwhile, Aiden Markram kept the scoreboard moving with regular boundaries before falling to Sajid Khan after making 32 runs off 62 balls. His innings included four boundaries and a six.

Following Markram’s dismissal, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs partnered effectively to prevent any further damage until Tea.

Earlier, Pakistan resumed the day at 259-5. Their lower order added just 74 runs as Maharaj ran riot, exploiting the surface with turn and flight to tear through the batting lineup.

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Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel provided early resistance, adding a valuable 70-run stand that steadied Pakistan’s innings.

Shakeel compiled a patient 66 off 147 balls, his ninth Test fifty, while Agha contributed 45 from 76 deliveries with five boundaries.

However, once Maharaj broke their partnership, Pakistan’s resistance quickly faded. The left-arm spinner struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Agha and Shakeel in back-to-back overs before cleaning up the tail.

Shaheen Shah Afridi fell for a duck, Sajid Khan managed just five, and debutant Asif Afridi was the last to go.

Maharaj finished with outstanding figures of 7 wickets, marking one of his finest performances away from home and ensuring South Africa stayed alive in the contest.

Earlier, Pakistan had built a solid platform on day one through skipper Shan Masood’s 87 and Abdullah Shafique’s 57. The duo shared a crucial 111-run stand for the second wicket before South Africa’s spinners began to claw their way back.

READ: Mohammad Amir reacts to Shaheen Afridi’s appointment as captain

LAHORE: Shaheen Shah Afridi has been appointed as Pakisan new ODI captain, replacing wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan following a leadership review by team management.

Shaheen will captain Pakistan in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, set to begin on November 4.

The decision to appoint Shaheen Shah Afridi was taken at a meeting held in Islamabad. The meeting was attended by head coach Mike Hesson, director of high performance Aqib Javed and members of the selection committee.

The move also came following Pakistan’s string of disappointing ODI performances this year.

The Men in Green failed to advance beyond the first round of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, before suffering a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand and a 2-1 series defeat to the West Indies.

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Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi has enjoyed remarkable success as captain of the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), leading them to three title wins.

Interestingly, this would not be Shaheen’s first stint as national captain. He previously led Pakistan in the T20I format but was replaced after just one series.

During Shaheen Afridi captaincy in January 2024, Pakistan lost five-match series 4-1 against Zealand.

The defeat resulted in captaincy change as he was replaced in the role by star batter Babar Azam, who led the side until the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 played in USA and West Indies.

Mohammad Rizwan, who was appointed Pakistan white-ball captain on October 27, 2024, delivered some impressive results during his breif tenure, including memorable ODI series wins in Australia and South Africa.

However, his tenure in the T20I format ended soon after Men in Green lost all four T20Is under his leadership.

Overall, Rizwan captained Pakistan in 20 ODIs, winning nine and losing 11, finishing with a winning percentage of 45.

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RAWALPINDI: Shan Masood’s composed knock and Abdullah Shafique’s hard-fought fifty laid a solid platform for Pakistan, but South Africa clawed back with late strikes to leave the opening day of the second Test finely balanced.

At the end of day one here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan were 259-5. Saud Shakeel remained unbeaten on 42 from 105 balls while Salman Ali Agha scored 10* from 25 deliveries.

The home side continued their innings from 177-3 after the tea break, with skipper Shan Masood adding 35 more runs with Saud Shakeel.

The scorecard read 212 when the visitors got a vital breakthrough in the form of Masood. The southpaw made 87 from 176 balls, striking three sixes and two fours.

With the wicket of the set batter in the dying hours of the day, South Africa sensed an opening as Mohammad Rizwan arrived at the crease. He added another 34 runs with Shakeel before getting caught for 19 from 39 deliveries.

Consequenlty, Pakistan were reduced to 245-6 with still few overs to play. However, Salman Ali Agha and Shakeel added 13* more and survived the day to set up an intriguing second day’s play.

For South Africa, Simon Harmer and returning Keshav Maharaj were pick of the bowlers, scalping two apiece, whereas Kagiso Rabada had one to his name in the wickets column.

At tea break, Pakistan made 177-3 with skipper Shan Masood standing firm on 77 off 144 balls alongside Saud Shakeel, who was unbeaten on 6, steering Pakistan to a steady position after a productive afternoon session.

Resuming at 95-1 after lunch, Masood and Abdullah Shafique extended their second-wicket partnership, adding 111 valuable runs to keep the Proteas at bay.

Both batters brought up well-crafted fifties, Masood his 13th in Test cricket and Shafique his sixth, as the pair looked set for a big stand before South Africa found a way back.

Off-spinner Simon Harmer, who had struck earlier in the morning session, broke through once again, dismissing Shafique for 57 off 146 deliveries.

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The dismissal ended what had been a resilient partnership that formed the backbone of Pakistan’s innings.

Soon after, Keshav Maharaj joined the act, removing Babar Azam for 16 off 22 balls, leaving the hosts at 167-3 in 56 overs.

Despite the quick wickets, Masood held his composure, mixing solid defence with timely aggression to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Earlier, Pakistan had opted to bat first after winning the toss. Openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique started confidently, negotiating the new ball well before Harmer provided the breakthrough by bowling Imam for 17 off 35 balls.

Masood’s arrival immediately shifted momentum back in Pakistan’s favour as the left-hander took the attack to South Africa’s spinners, striking three sixes and a boundary before lunch.

He and Shafique ensured Pakistan headed into the first break comfortably placed at 95-1.

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Pakistan entered the match with one change from the opening Test, handing a long-awaited Test debut to 38-year-old left-arm spinner Asif Afridi, who replaced Hasan Ali.

South Africa, meanwhile, welcomed back Keshav Maharaj from injury, while Marco Jansen also returned, replacing Wiaan Mulder and Prenelan Subrayen.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan began their ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign in style last week, defeating defending champions South Africa by 93 runs in Karachi to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

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RAWALPINDI: Interim red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood has hailed South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj as a world-class spinner, emphasizing that his return will bring significant challenges for Pakistan.

Keshav Maharaj will make his return to the side after missing out in the first Test, and he will pose a threat to Pakistan batters; however, Mahmood braces for better execution and decision-making in the match.

“We’re playing against the best team and they’re obviously not going to take this lightly, they’ll give it their all to comeback; they were relying heavily on one of their spinners [Keshav Maharaj], who’s one of the best in the world. It’ll bring a lot of challenges for us.”

“We know what challenges will come, and we need to see how to tackle those. On the day, it’s all about execution and making the right decision when you bat, bowl, or field,” Azhar told reporters in a pre-match press conference.

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Azhar emphasized a dry Pindi pitch and hinted that the playing XI will be tweaked according to the surface.

“We will decide tomorrow morning about the playing XI. Currently, the pitch is looking on the dryer side, and there is a possibility of changes, “but not too many,” he remarked.

“It’s possible we go with a 3-1 combination [three spinners and one pacer], but it hasn’t been decided yet,” he said.

“With regards to the toss, we don’t want that the whole match is decided by the toss. Even, if we lose the toss, our aim is that even if we lose the toss, we try to make 350 (runs) in the first innings,” he continued.

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Azhar Mahmood also termed the process as key for winning the World Test Championship (WTC), stating that the players’ confidence is on the higher side.

“Obviously, we need to go step by step to reach there — you need to play in conditions abroad, play in the West Indies, Bangladesh, and England. So the process that I keep talking about, we need to take the matches one by one. With Test matches, we’ll take it session by session.

“This team has been playing for quite some time now, the boys’ morale is quite high, they knew it was important to win the match, and you saw the effort they put in. They’re confident, and they’re all getting along well and playing together. This is what a team needs to build up,” he concluded.

READ: WATCH: Mitchell Starc removes Virat Kohli for duck in ODI series opener

PERTH: Australia ace pacer Mitchell Starc was captured bowling a 176.5 km/h delivery in the ongoing first ODI against India here at the Perth Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

The left-arm pacer’s opening delivery to opener Rohit Sharma was clocked at a stunning 176.5kph. Soon after, fans were in awe, wondering if Starc had shattered Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar’s long-standing record for bowling the fastest-ever delivery in international cricket.

However, it was later revealed that the recorded speed was incorrect as the bowling speed gun malfunctioned.

For the unversed, Shoaib Akhtar holds the record for the fastest delivery in international cricket— 161.3 km/h, which he bowled against England during the 2003 World Cup.

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India has set 137 in a game reduced to 26 overs per side due to rain, courtesy of KL Rahul, 38 from 31 balls, studded with two fours and two sixes.

For Australia, Mitchell Starc was on song from the start, removing India’s ace Virat Kohli for a duck, which set the tone early for Australia to dictate terms in a rain-hit encounter.

Overall, Mitchell Starc bowled six overs and gave away 22 runs while taking one wicket.

Playing XIs

India 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill (capt), 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Axar Patel, 7 Washington Sundar, 8 Nitish Reddy, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed Siraj

Australia 1 Travis Head, 2 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 3 Matt Short, 4 Josh Philippe (wk), 5 Matt Renshaw, 6 Mitch Owen, 7 Cooper Connolly, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Matt Kuhnemann, 11 Josh Hazlewood

READ: PCB confirms tri-Series will go ahead despite Afghanistan withdrawal

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the upcoming home T20I tri-series will go ahead as planned, despite the withdrawal of Afghanistan following cross-border tensions.

A PCB spokesperson told a local news channel on Saturday that the series, scheduled from November 17 to 29, will proceed according to the original timeline.

The board is currently exploring options to bring in a replacement team, with a final announcement expected soon.

According to sources, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has been approached as a potential participant to fill the void left by Afghanistan.

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The series was originally set to feature Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.

The withdrawal from Afghanistan came late on Friday, reportedly in response to recent cross-border unrest that resulted in the deaths of three local cricketers in the Urgun district.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) stated that the players had travelled from Urgun to Sharana, in Paktika province near the Pakistan border, to take part in a friendly match when the attack occurred.

Despite the setback, the PCB remains committed to hosting the series and ensuring uninterrupted international cricket at home.

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The game of cricket is set to welcome its fourth format, called ‘Test Twenty’, a hybrid that blends the strategy of Test cricket with the intensity of T20s.

The goal is to maintain the tactical depth of the longest format while presenting it as a fast, one-day spectacle. Let’s explore what this new format is and how it will be played.

A new kind of contest

Test Twenty will be an 80-over match, played and completed in a single day. Each team will bat twice, with two innings of 20 overs each, and the first innings’ score will be carried forward.

The game allows for every possible result: win, loss, tie, or draw. If the aggregate scores are level, a Super Over decides the outcome.

But if the batting side survives the entire innings with five wickets in hand, they can choose to settle for a draw.

The idea behind it

The format is the brainchild of Gaurav Bahirvani, Founder and CEO of Test Twenty.

It was officially launched on Thursday with the backing of cricket legends AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, Harbhajan Singh, and Sir Clive Lloyd, all of whom endorsed the innovation as cricket’s “next chapter.”

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Its first major event, the Junior Test Twenty Championship, is set to debut in 2026, featuring players aged 13 to 19.

The idea is to provide young cricketers with a global platform that assesses their skills and temperament, rather than just their ability to slog.

Global selection and franchise setup

The championship will feature six franchises, three from India and three international (London, Dubai, and a US city).

Each team will have 16 players, evenly split between Indian and international talent.

Selections will happen through two main routes:

• Direct Entry: For players recommended by recognised cricketers, coaches, or administrators.
• Standard Entry: Open trials powered by AI and motion sensors to ensure transparency and fairness.

Players will be assessed through the Test Twenty Intelligence Index (TTII), a data-driven system measuring decision-making, temperament, and overall cricketing IQ.

Out of 1,000 shortlisted players, the top 300 will advance, and then 96 players will be drafted by the six founding franchises.

Adding to the glamour, these franchises will reportedly be co-owned by celebrity and sporting families, those who, as the organisers say, “grew up with the game in their blood.”

The rules of the game

Test Twenty introduces several tweaks to traditional laws of the game:

• Powerplay: One per match, lasting four overs, taken at the captain’s discretion. If not taken, it will be enforced between overs 7 and 10 of the second innings.
• Follow-on: Can be enforced if the second-batting side trails by 75+ runs after the first innings.
• Early Collapse Clause: If a team is bowled out before 10 overs in their first innings, the opponent gains three extra overs.
• Bowling Restrictions: Only five bowlers allowed per side, with a maximum of eight overs each across both innings.
• Wides & No-Balls: Standard T20 rules apply, but three or more in one over adds a three-run penalty.
• Over-rate Penalty: Slow over-rates cost five runs and a lost timeout.
• Super Session: In case of a tie, one-over eliminator decides the result; if still level, the team with more boundaries wins.

READ: India-Pakistan World Cup clash becomes most-watched women’s match in history

LAHORE: Noman Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi steered Pakistan to a dominant 93-run victory over South Africa in the first Test at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Chasing 277 for victory, South Africa’s hopes faded under relentless pressure as they were bowled out for 183 on the fourth day. Both Noman and Shaheen claimed four wickets apiece, ensuring Pakistan wrapped up the game before tea.

The visitors began the morning on shaky ground, and things only worsened when Shaheen Afridi struck with the third delivery of the day, removing Tony de Zorzi for 16 to give Pakistan an early breakthrough.

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Noman Ali, who had already been Pakistan’s standout spinner throughout the match, continued his fine form by dismissing Tristan Stubbs for just two, tightening the screws further.

A brief resistance came from Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton, who added 50 runs for the fifth wicket to take South Africa past the 100-run mark.

Brevis, showing character after a first-innings duck, struck a fluent 54 off 54 balls, including some confident strokes to keep the chase alive.

However, Noman broke the stand by removing Brevis at a crucial juncture, while Sajid Khan soon followed up by dismissing Rickelton for 41 off 73 balls, ending South Africa’s last real fightback.

At 137-6 by lunch, the Proteas were still 140 runs short of the target, with Kyle Verreynne (3) and Senuran Muthusamy (3) at the crease.

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The pair offered little resistance after the break as Muthusamy fell prey to Sajid Khan, scoring a mere six runs.

Simon Harmer joined Verreynne, and they added 29 runs for the eighth wicket but could not stand a chance against Pakistan’s bowlers.

Shaheen Afridi came back onto the attack and took the remaining three wickets to seal Pakistan’s emphatic victory.

Verreynne departed after scoring 19 runs, while Prenelan Subrayen (8) and Kagiso Rabada (0) were Shaheen’s other victims. Harmer remained unbeaten for 14.

Other than Shaheen and Noman’s four-wicket hauls, Sajid Khan claimed two wickets for Pakistan.

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