The Pakistan national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team match scorecard tells a story that’s short in overs but rich in drama. A target of 144, chased in just 25.1 overs. A 7-wicket win. A series sealed 2-1. And a Pakistani cricketing moment that deserves to be remembered.
Match Overview: What Happened on November 8, 2025
The 3rd ODI of the South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025 was played as a day-night fixture at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, the same ground that had hosted the earlier two ODIs of the series. South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first, perhaps hoping to use the early conditions and set a competitive total.
What followed was a batting collapse that South Africa would desperately want to forget.
Bowled out for just 143 runs in 37.5 overs, the Proteas never found their footing after the 100-run mark. Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan’s mystery spinner, was the chief destroyer, returning figures of 4/27 in 10 overs, a masterclass in varying pace, flight, and turn. The South African middle order buckled like wet cardboard under his spell, four batters walking back to the pavilion before they could even build a partnership.
Pakistan then chased down 144 in just 25.1 overs, losing only 3 wickets, to win the PAK vs SA series 2-1 and cap a magnificent home campaign.
Full Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
South Africa Innings: 143 All Out (37.5 Overs)
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lhuan-dre Pretorius | c Babar Azam b Salman Ali Agha | 39 | 45 | 4 | 1 | 86.67 |
| Quinton de Kock † | lbw Mohammad Nawaz | 53 | 70 | 6 | 1 | 75.71 |
| Tony de Zorzi | c Shaheen Afridi b Salman Ali Agha | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
| Matthew Breetzke * | c Mohammad Rizwan b Abrar Ahmed | 16 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 45.71 |
| Rubin Hermann | b Abrar Ahmed | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Donovan Ferreira | b Abrar Ahmed | 7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 63.64 |
| Corbin Bosch | b Abrar Ahmed | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Bjorn Fortuin | lbw Mohammad Nawaz | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
| Nqabayomzi Peter | b Shaheen Shah Afridi | 16 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 51.61 |
| Nandre Burger | Not out | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Lungi Ngidi | b Shaheen Shah Afridi | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | (lb 2, w 1) | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 10 wkts, 37.5 Overs | 143 | — | — | — | 3.78 RPO |
Fall of Wickets: 1-72, 2-87, 3-106, 4-109, 5-117, 6-117, 7-122, 8-130, 9-143, 10-143
Pakistan Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Wd | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 4.5 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Saim Ayub | 7.0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Haris Rauf | 3.0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Salman Ali Agha | 4.0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 10.0 | 1 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 9.0 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Pakistan Innings: 144/3 (25.1 Overs): Won by 7 Wickets
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | b Nandre Burger | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Saim Ayub | c Donovan Ferreira b Bjorn Fortuin | 77 | 70 | 11 | 1 | 110.00 |
| Babar Azam | run out (Corbin Bosch) | 27 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 84.38 |
| Mohammad Rizwan † | Not out | 32 | 45 | 3 | 1 | 71.11 |
| Salman Ali Agha | Not out | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 250.00 |
| Extras | (lb 2, w 1) | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | 3 wkts, 25.1 Overs | 144 | — | — | — | 5.72 RPO |
Fall of Wickets: 1-1, 2-65, 3-130
South Africa Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Wd | NB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nandre Burger | 5.0 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 3.0 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Corbin Bosch | 3.0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bjorn Fortuin | 6.1 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Donovan Ferreira | 4.0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nqabayomzi Peter | 4.0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
The Turning Point: Abrar Ahmed’s Spell Changes Everything
If there’s one moment that defined this Pakistan vs South Africa cricket match, it was the Abrar Ahmed over that ripped through South Africa’s middle order like a summer storm. Coming into the attack when South Africa were 106/3 and seemingly positioned for a competitive total, Abrar took control.
Rubin Hermann gone for 1. Donovan Ferreira stumped for 7. Corbin Bosch first-ball duck. Three wickets in what felt like the blink of an eye. The score tumbled from 106 to 117 in just four deliveries, and the tone of the entire match changed in those few frantic minutes. Abrar finished with 4 wickets for 27 runs from 10 overs, conceding under 3 runs per over on a Faisalabad surface that wasn’t offering extreme turn.
This was wrist-spin bowling at its very best. Deceptive. Disguised. Devastating.
Mohammad Nawaz (2/31) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/18) chipped in smartly at both ends, while Salman Ali Agha (2/18) dismissed the dangerous Pretorius and de Zorzi to keep early pressure intact. It was a bowling display Pakistan fans had been waiting all series for, complete, coordinated, and coolly executed.
Saim Ayub Turns the Chase Into a Masterclass
Chasing 144, Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman for a golden duck off the very second ball of the innings, a Nandre Burger inswinger slipping through. That early wicket could have rattled lesser sides. Instead, it seemed to wake Saim Ayub up.
What followed from the young left-hander was one of those innings you keep replaying. 77 runs off just 70 balls, striking at 110.00, peppered with 11 fours and a six. Ayub played with the maturity of a seasoned campaigner and the fearlessness of someone with nothing to lose. He attacked length balls. He swept spinners. He drove through covers with a smoothness that would have made Zaheer Abbas proud.
His 65-run partnership with Babar Azam (27 off 32) laid the foundation, and a further 65-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan carried Pakistan close to the finish line. By the time Ayub was dismissed for 77, Pakistan needed just 14 runs with 7 wickets in hand. The result was never in doubt.
Mohammad Rizwan, calm and unbeaten on 32 off 45 balls, guided the side home with 149 balls to spare, a dominant, no-nonsense chase that underlined how well-equipped this Pakistani batting lineup is when conditions suit.
PAK vs SA Head-to-Head Scorecard Context
The PAK vs SA head-to-head scorecard in ODIs makes for interesting reading after this series. Pakistan’s win on November 8 was their sixth consecutive ODI victory over South Africa, continuing a remarkable run of dominance in the format against the Proteas.
Historically, South Africa held the edge for many years, but recent Pakistani sides have found a template that works: spin in the middle overs, aggressive powerplay batting, and a captain (in this case, Shaheen Shah Afridi) who leads with his action.
The series result of 2-1 to Pakistan was a fair reflection of how the three games played out. South Africa won the 2nd ODI convincingly (by 8 wickets), but Pakistan took both the 1st and 3rd ODIs to claim the series and end their home season on a high note.
Pakistan South Africa Cricket Match: Series Summary
| Match | Date | Venue | Winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | November 4, 2025 | Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad | Pakistan | 1 wicket |
| 2nd ODI | November 6, 2025 | Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad | South Africa | 8 wickets |
| 3rd ODI | November 8, 2025 | Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad | Pakistan | 7 wickets |
Series Result: Pakistan won 2-1
The South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025 was a packed one, covering two Tests, three T20Is, and three ODIs from October 12 to November 8. Pakistan’s ODI series win rounded off the home stretch in style.
Man of the Match and Standout Performers
Player of the Match: Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan)
Abrar Ahmed’s 4/27 from 10 overs in the Pakistan national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team match scorecard of the 3rd ODI earned him the well-deserved Man of the Match award. It was mystery bowling at its finest, controlled, sharp, and perfectly varied.
Saim Ayub was the batting star, his 77-run knock off 70 balls setting the tone for a dominant chase. And Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi deserve honourable mentions for their clean, disciplined bowling spells.
For South Africa, Quinton de Kock fought hard with 53 off 70 balls, the one batter who read Abrar’s variations with some degree of success. Lhuan-dre Pretorius (39) gave the innings a decent start in partnership with de Kock, but once that partnership broke at 72, the innings unravelled quickly.
What This Win Means for Pakistan Cricket
Pakistan’s ODI series win against South Africa arrives at a meaningful time. With ICC tournaments on the horizon and the squad still settling into the Shaheen Afridi-led era, wins like these build confidence, habits, and team identity. The spin duo of Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz looks capable of dismantling top-order batting lineups on Asian surfaces, while the top-order batting unit, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, and Mohammad Rizwan, is showing increasing consistency.
The Pakistan South Africa cricket match on November 8 was also a reminder of how quickly ODI cricket can swing. South Africa were 72/1 and looking composed. Less than 15 overs later, they were all out for 143. That’s the beauty, and brutality, of the 50-over format.
PAK vs SA Ball-by-Ball Commentary Highlights
Key moments from the PAK vs SA ball-by-ball commentary scorecard:
- Over 14.2: Pretorius caught at slip off Salman Ali Agha for 39, SA 72/1 becomes 72/2
- Over 18.5: de Zorzi edges to Shaheen at slip off Salman, SA 87/2 becomes 87/3
- Over 24.3: de Kock trapped lbw by Nawaz for a well-made 53, SA 106/3 becomes 106/4
- Over 25–27: Abrar Ahmed’s tornado, Hermann b for 1, Ferreira b for 7, Bosch b for 0, SA collapse to 117/7
- Chasing: Fakhar ducks first-ball, but Saim Ayub counter-attacks brutally, 65 added with Babar
- Over 21.4: Third wicket falls at 130, Saim c Ferreira b Fortuin for 77
- Over 25.1: Rizwan guides Pakistan home, Pakistan 144/3 in 25.1 overs
FAQs
Who won the PAK vs SA 3rd ODI on November 8, 2025?
Pakistan beat South Africa by 7 wickets in the 3rd ODI played at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on November 8, 2025. Chasing 144, Pakistan reached the target in just 25.1 overs with 149 balls remaining, winning the ODI series 2-1.
What was the full result of the Pakistan national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team match scorecard on November 8?
South Africa were bowled out for 143 in 37.5 overs. Pakistan chased it down for 144/3 in 25.1 overs. The fall of wickets for Pakistan were at 1, 65, and 130. The full PAK vs SA scorecard is provided in detail in this article above.
Who was Man of the Match in PAK vs SA 3rd ODI 2025?
Abrar Ahmed was named Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance of 4 wickets for 27 runs in 10 overs. He was the primary reason South Africa’s innings collapsed after the first power play.
How did Saim Ayub perform in the Pakistan vs South Africa cricket match?
Saim Ayub played a match-winning innings of 77 runs off just 70 balls, striking at 110.00 with 11 fours and 1 six. He anchored both key partnerships of the chase, a 64-run stand with Babar Azam and a 65-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan, to take Pakistan to the brink of victory.
What is Pakistan’s head-to-head ODI record vs South Africa after this match?
With this series win, Pakistan extended their consecutive ODI wins over South Africa to six matches, continuing a recent run of dominance. The 2025 series finished 2-1 in Pakistan’s favour, played entirely at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
