The Pakistan National Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline is a history of competitive Test, ODI and T20I cricket dating back to South Africa’s return to international cricket in the early 1990s. Their first major meeting came at the 1992 Cricket World Cup, where South Africa defeated Pakistan in a match remembered for Jonty Rhodes’ spectacular run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Since then, Pakistan and South Africa have met regularly in bilateral series and ICC tournaments. South Africa have generally held the stronger overall record, particularly in Test cricket, while Pakistan have produced several important victories in World Cups and ODI series.
The rivalry has included memorable matches at the 1992, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups. Pakistan’s 2015 World Cup victory, their 2019 World Cup win and their dramatic 2023 one-wicket defeat are among the notable modern chapters. In December 2024, Pakistan achieved their first men’s ODI series clean sweep in South Africa, winning 3-0.
The teams continued their rivalry in 2025, including a record-breaking ODI chase in Pakistan’s 355/4 victory over South Africa and a 2-1 T20I and ODI series victory for Pakistan later that year.
Pakistan vs South Africa Cricket Timeline
| Year | Tournament/Series | Major Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Cricket World Cup | South Africa defeat Pakistan; Jonty Rhodes runs out Inzamam |
| 1994 | Test series | Pakistan and South Africa begin regular bilateral Test cricket |
| 1995-96 | Test series | South Africa win a Test series in Pakistan |
| 1999 | Cricket World Cup | Pakistan and South Africa meet again in the World Cup |
| 2003 | Cricket World Cup | Pakistan defeat South Africa |
| 2007 | Cricket World Cup | South Africa defeat Pakistan |
| 2010 | T20I | Teams expand their rivalry into T20 internationals |
| 2013 | ODI/Test | South Africa dominate a tour by Pakistan |
| 2015 | Cricket World Cup | Pakistan defeat South Africa by 29 runs |
| 2019 | Cricket World Cup | Pakistan defeat South Africa by 49 runs |
| 2019-20 | Test series | South Africa win the home Test series 3-0 |
| 2021 | T20I/ODI | Pakistan record major white-ball victories in South Africa |
| 2022 | T20I | South Africa and Pakistan continue regular bilateral competition |
| 2023 | Cricket World Cup | South Africa defeat Pakistan by one wicket |
| 2024 | ODI | Pakistan defeat South Africa 3-0 in South Africa |
| 2024-25 | Test | South Africa defeat Pakistan 2-0 |
| 2025 | ODI Tri-Series | Pakistan chase 353 against South Africa |
| 2025 | T20I | Pakistan win the home T20I series 2-1 |
| 2025 | ODI | Pakistan win the home ODI series 2-1 |
| 2025 | Test | Pakistan and South Africa draw 1-1 in Pakistan |
| 2026 | International cricket | No new senior men’s Pakistan-South Africa bilateral series completed through September |
1992: The First World Cup Classic
The Pakistan-South Africa rivalry began at the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
South Africa had returned to international cricket after the end of their sporting isolation and were competing in their first men’s Cricket World Cup since readmission.
Pakistan, meanwhile, were led by Imran Khan and would eventually win the tournament.
When the two sides met, South Africa posted a competitive total of 211/7.
Pakistan’s chase became famous for an extraordinary piece of fielding.
Jonty Rhodes Runs Out Inzamam-ul-Haq
Inzamam-ul-Haq was threatening to change the game when Jonty Rhodes produced one of the most famous pieces of fielding in World Cup history.
Rhodes sprinted toward the stumps and completed a spectacular airborne run-out, stopping Inzamam’s innings.
The ICC later conducted a fan vote to identify the greatest moment in men’s World Cup history, and Rhodes’ run-out was selected as the winner.
South Africa eventually won the match, giving them an important victory over the eventual champions.
1990s: Test Rivalry Takes Shape
After South Africa returned to Test cricket, Pakistan became one of their important opponents.
The two teams began playing regular bilateral Test series.
Pakistan had experienced players such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq, while South Africa developed a powerful bowling attack and a strong batting lineup.
The rivalry became particularly competitive in South African conditions, where fast bowling played a major role.
Players such as Allan Donald became central figures for South Africa, while Pakistan’s pace attack remained one of the most feared in world cricket.
1999: Another World Cup Meeting
Pakistan and South Africa met again at the 1999 Cricket World Cup in England.
By then, both sides were established World Cup contenders.
Pakistan had a powerful squad featuring Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saqlain Mushtaq.
South Africa possessed players including Hansie Cronje, Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes.
The match was another important meeting in a World Cup that eventually ended with South Africa suffering one of the tournament’s most dramatic semi-final defeats against Australia.
Pakistan reached the final but lost to Australia.
2003: Pakistan Defeat South Africa at the World Cup
The 2003 Cricket World Cup was played in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Pakistan and South Africa met during the tournament.
Pakistan produced a strong performance and defeated the hosts.
The result was particularly notable because South Africa were playing a World Cup on home soil and were among the teams expected to challenge for the title.
Pakistan’s victory added another major tournament success to their record against the Proteas.
2007: South Africa Respond
South Africa defeated Pakistan when the sides met at the 2007 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.
The Proteas produced a disciplined all-round performance.
South Africa’s strong batting and bowling combination allowed them to control the match and maintain their position among the leading teams in the tournament.
The result also demonstrated the changing balance of the rivalry as South Africa became one of the most consistent sides in ODI cricket.
2010s: A Strong Test and ODI Rivalry
The 2010s produced a long series of Pakistan-South Africa encounters.
South Africa were particularly successful in Test cricket.
The Proteas had a formidable pace attack featuring Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander, while Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Graeme Smith and Faf du Plessis strengthened their batting.
Pakistan continued to produce world-class fast bowlers and talented batters, but South Africa’s home conditions often made the contests difficult.
The teams also increasingly played T20 internationals as the format became a permanent part of international cricket.
2015: Pakistan Win a World Cup Thriller
The 2015 Cricket World Cup produced one of Pakistan’s most important victories over South Africa.
The match was played at Eden Park in Auckland.
Pakistan scored 222 in a rain-affected innings.
Sarfaraz Ahmed made 49 and was named Player of the Match, while Misbah-ul-Haq contributed 56. Shahid Afridi added a quick 22.
South Africa’s chase was interrupted by wickets and the weather.
Pakistan eventually won by 29 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
The result was significant because South Africa were one of the tournament’s strongest teams.
2019: Pakistan Win at Lord’s
Pakistan and South Africa met again at the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The match was played at Lord’s in London.
Pakistan produced a strong batting performance and then defended their total.
Pakistan won by 49 runs, according to the ICC’s tournament results.
The victory was part of Pakistan’s late surge during the group stage.
Although Pakistan ultimately missed the semi-finals, their win over South Africa was an important result during the campaign.
2019-20: South Africa Dominate the Test Series
The Test rivalry continued into the 2019-20 season.
South Africa defeated Pakistan in the first two Tests and secured the three-match series.
The second Test at Cape Town ended with South Africa winning by nine wickets, after the hosts chased only 41 in their second innings.
South Africa eventually completed a 3-0 Test series sweep.
The series demonstrated the Proteas’ strength in home conditions and their powerful pace-bowling unit.
2021: Pakistan Produce Major White-Ball Results
Pakistan’s fortunes improved in South Africa during the early 2020s.
They recorded important ODI and T20I victories against the Proteas and demonstrated that they could compete successfully in South African conditions.
The emergence of players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Fakhar Zaman gave Pakistan a strong white-ball core.
South Africa, meanwhile, continued rebuilding around players such as Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada and later Aiden Markram.
2023: One-Wicket World Cup Thriller
One of the closest matches in the entire Pakistan-South Africa timeline came at the 2023 Cricket World Cup in Chennai.
Pakistan batted first and scored 270.
Babar Azam made 50, Mohammad Rizwan scored 31 and Iftikhar Ahmed added 21.
South Africa’s chase became extremely tense.
Aiden Markram produced an excellent 91 from 93 balls and appeared to be taking South Africa toward victory.
Pakistan’s bowlers then fought back.
Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usama Mir took important wickets as South Africa’s lower order came under pressure.
With the match reaching its final stages, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi held their nerve.
South Africa won by one wicket.
The match became one of the most dramatic contests of the 2023 World Cup.
December 2024: Pakistan Sweep South Africa 3-0 in ODIs
A major turning point in the recent rivalry came during Pakistan’s 2024 tour of South Africa.
Pakistan won all three ODIs.
In the first ODI at Paarl, Saim Ayub scored 109 as Pakistan chased 240 successfully.
In the second ODI, Pakistan scored 329 and won by 81 runs.
The third ODI in Johannesburg was affected by rain, but Pakistan still won by 36 runs under the DLS method.
Saim Ayub scored another century, while Sufiyan Muqeem took four wickets.
The 3-0 result was historic because it represented South Africa’s first-ever clean-sweep defeat in a men’s ODI series at home.
2024-25: South Africa Win the Test Series
The teams then switched to Test cricket.
South Africa won the first Test at Centurion by two wickets.
The second Test at Newlands was much more one-sided.
South Africa won by 10 wickets after Pakistan struggled to contain the hosts.
The result gave South Africa a 2-0 Test series victory and strengthened their position in the World Test Championship.
For Pakistan, the series was another difficult Test assignment in South African conditions.
2025: Pakistan Chase 353 Against South Africa
Pakistan and South Africa met again in February 2025 during a tri-nation ODI series involving New Zealand.
The match produced one of the most extraordinary batting performances in Pakistan’s ODI history.
South Africa scored 352/5.
Temba Bavuma scored 82, Matthew Breetzke made 83 and Heinrich Klaasen added 87.
Pakistan appeared to be under significant pressure after falling to 91/3.
Then Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha changed the match.
Rizwan and Salman Agha Make History
Rizwan scored an unbeaten 122, while Salman Agha made 134.
The pair added 260 runs for the fourth wicket, setting a new Pakistan record for that position.
Pakistan reached 355/4, completing their highest successful ODI run chase at the time.
The victory came with six wickets in hand.
It was another example of Pakistan’s ability to produce high-scoring ODI matches against South Africa.
2025: Pakistan Win the T20I Series 2-1
South Africa toured Pakistan later in 2025 for three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.
The T20I series began with South Africa winning the opening match by 55 runs.
Pakistan responded in the second game, winning by nine wickets.
Saim Ayub scored 71 not out from 38 balls during the chase.
Pakistan then won the third T20I by four wickets.
Babar Azam scored 68 from 47 balls, guiding Pakistan to the target with six balls remaining.
Pakistan therefore won the T20I series 2-1.
2025: Pakistan Win the ODI Series 2-1
The three-match ODI series followed the T20Is.
Pakistan won the opening ODI by two wickets.
South Africa responded in the second match with a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
The deciding third ODI took place at Faisalabad.
South Africa were dismissed for 143, with Abrar Ahmed taking 4/27.
Pakistan then chased the target comfortably, winning by seven wickets.
Saim Ayub scored an unbeaten 77.
Pakistan won the series 2-1.
2025: Test Series Ends 1-1
The two teams then played a two-Test series in Pakistan.
Pakistan won the first Test in Lahore by 93 runs.
South Africa responded in Rawalpindi.
Simon Harmer took six wickets for 50 in Pakistan’s second innings, which collapsed to 138.
South Africa chased the target of 68 and won by eight wickets.
The Test series therefore finished 1-1.
The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that the two-match series was part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
Pakistan vs South Africa: Major World Cup Meetings
The two teams have met several times in men’s Cricket World Cups.
1992 World Cup
South Africa defeated Pakistan, with Jonty Rhodes’ run-out of Inzamam becoming an iconic World Cup moment.
1999 World Cup
Pakistan and South Africa met during another tournament in which both sides were among the leading contenders.
2003 World Cup
Pakistan defeated South Africa in their home World Cup.
2007 World Cup
South Africa defeated Pakistan in the Caribbean.
2015 World Cup
Pakistan won by 29 runs using the DLS method.
2019 World Cup
Pakistan won by 49 runs at Lord’s.
2023 World Cup
South Africa won by one wicket in Chennai.
These matches demonstrate how frequently Pakistan and South Africa have crossed paths during major ICC competitions.
Pakistan vs South Africa Head-to-Head
South Africa have historically held the stronger overall record in men’s international cricket between the teams, particularly in Tests and ODIs.
Pakistan, however, have produced important victories in major tournaments and bilateral series.
Recent results have been particularly notable.
Pakistan:
- Won the 2024 ODI series in South Africa 3-0.
- Won the February 2025 ODI meeting by chasing 353.
- Won the 2025 home T20I series 2-1.
- Won the 2025 home ODI series 2-1.
- Drew the 2025 Test series 1-1.
South Africa:
- Won the 2024-25 Test series 2-0.
- Won the opening T20I of the 2025 home series before Pakistan recovered.
- Won the second ODI of the 2025 home series.
The two teams have therefore produced competitive results across all three formats in recent years.
Key Players in Pakistan vs South Africa History
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram was one of Pakistan’s most important players during the early years of the rivalry.
His left-arm pace and swing made him particularly dangerous in ODI and Test cricket.
Jonty Rhodes
Rhodes’ name is permanently connected with the rivalry because of his famous 1992 World Cup run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq. The ICC’s fan vote later selected the moment as the greatest in men’s World Cup history.
Dale Steyn
Steyn became one of South Africa’s most influential fast bowlers during the 2000s and 2010s.
His battles with Pakistan’s top order were a major feature of the Test rivalry.
AB de Villiers
De Villiers played several memorable innings against Pakistan across formats and was one of South Africa’s leading batters during the height of their international success.
Babar Azam
Babar has been one of Pakistan’s most important modern batters against South Africa.
He scored 50 in the dramatic 2023 World Cup match and later made 68 in Pakistan’s 2025 T20I series-clinching victory.
Saim Ayub
Saim Ayub emerged as a major performer during Pakistan’s recent matches against South Africa.
He scored 109 in the first ODI of the 2024 series and another century in the third ODI, helping Pakistan complete their historic 3-0 sweep.
He also scored 77 not out in the decisive third ODI of the 2025 series.
Most Memorable Pakistan vs South Africa Matches
1992 World Cup — South Africa Win
Jonty Rhodes’ extraordinary run-out of Inzamam became the defining moment.
2015 World Cup — Pakistan Win
Pakistan defeated South Africa by 29 runs in a rain-affected match at Auckland.
2019 World Cup — Pakistan Win
Pakistan defeated South Africa by 49 runs at Lord’s.
2023 World Cup — South Africa Win
South Africa edged Pakistan by one wicket in Chennai.
2024 ODI Series — Pakistan Win 3-0
Pakistan completed their first men’s ODI series clean sweep in South Africa.
2025 ODI Tri-Series — Pakistan Chase 353
Rizwan and Salman Agha combined for 256 to help Pakistan chase 353 with six wickets remaining.
2025 T20I Series — Pakistan Win 2-1
Pakistan recovered from a 55-run defeat in the opening match to win the series 2-1.
Pakistan National Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline: Conclusion
The Pakistan National Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline features more than three decades of international cricket and some of the most memorable moments involving both nations.
The rivalry began prominently at the 1992 Cricket World Cup, where South Africa defeated Pakistan and Jonty Rhodes produced his famous run-out of Inzamam-ul-Haq. The ICC later recognized that piece of fielding as the greatest moment in men’s Cricket World Cup history through a fan vote.
During the 2000s and 2010s, South Africa generally enjoyed strong results, especially in Test cricket. Pakistan nevertheless produced important World Cup victories, including their 2015 and 2019 wins.
The 2023 World Cup produced another classic when South Africa defeated Pakistan by one wicket in Chennai.
Pakistan’s recent record has included several significant achievements. In December 2024, they became the first visiting men’s team to clean-sweep South Africa in an ODI series at home, winning 3-0.
In 2025, Pakistan produced a record successful ODI chase of 353 against South Africa, won the home T20I series 2-1, won the ODI series 2-1 and drew the Test series 1-1.
As of September 2026, the two sides remain established opponents across all three formats, with their history combining World Cup drama, Test battles, high-scoring ODI matches and increasingly competitive T20 cricket.
FAQs
When did Pakistan and South Africa first play each other?
Pakistan and South Africa first met in the 1992 Cricket World Cup after South Africa returned to international cricket.
Who won the first Pakistan vs South Africa World Cup match?
South Africa won the 1992 World Cup encounter.
What is the famous Jonty Rhodes moment against Pakistan?
Jonty Rhodes famously ran out Inzamam-ul-Haq during the 1992 World Cup. The ICC later selected the moment as the greatest moment in men’s Cricket World Cup history through a fan vote.
Who won Pakistan vs South Africa in the 2015 World Cup?
Pakistan won by 29 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method. Sarfaraz Ahmed was named Player of the Match.
Who won Pakistan vs South Africa in the 2019 World Cup?
Pakistan won by 49 runs at Lord’s.
Who won the Pakistan vs South Africa match at the 2023 World Cup?
South Africa won by one wicket in Chennai after a tense chase.
Who won the 2024 ODI series between Pakistan and South Africa?
Pakistan won the three-match ODI series 3-0 in South Africa. It was South Africa’s first men’s ODI series clean-sweep defeat at home.
Who won the 2024-25 Test series between Pakistan and South Africa?
South Africa won the two-match Test series 2-0.
Who won the Pakistan vs South Africa ODI match in February 2025?
Pakistan defeated South Africa by six wickets after chasing 353. Mohammad Rizwan scored 122 not out and Salman Agha made 134.
What was Pakistan’s highest successful ODI chase against South Africa?
Pakistan successfully chased 353 in February 2025, reaching 355/4. The 260-run fourth-wicket partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha was also a Pakistan record for that wicket.
Who won the 2025 Pakistan vs South Africa T20I series?
Pakistan won the three-match T20I series 2-1. South Africa won the first match by 55 runs, but Pakistan won the second and third matches.
Who won the 2025 Pakistan vs South Africa ODI series?
Pakistan won the three-match ODI series 2-1. They won the first and third matches, while South Africa won the second.
What was the result of the 2025 Pakistan vs South Africa Test series?
The two-match Test series ended 1-1. Pakistan won the first Test by 93 runs, while South Africa won the second by eight wickets.
Is Pakistan vs South Africa a major cricket rivalry?
Pakistan and South Africa have a long-standing international cricket rivalry dating from the early 1990s. Their matches have featured several World Cup classics, competitive Test series and high-scoring ODI and T20I contests.
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