The star batter of the Pakistan side, Babar Azam, has added another feather to his incredible and successful career by completing 15000 runs in international cricket during the third ODI against South Africa on November 08. The milestone came in the series decided at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, making the veteran the fifth batter of the country to achieve the landmark.

Babar reached the milestone during his knock of 27 runs in 32 balls, but his innings ended in disappointment when he was run out while going for the third run with Pakistan's left-handed opening batter, Saim Ayub, against Bjorn Fortuin in the 11th over. Despite the unlucky dismissal, the achievement further made his case strong as one of the modern greats of the Pakistan side.

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With this, Babar has joined an elite list of legendary players of the Green Brigade- Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, and Javed Miandad- all of whom have crossed the 15000-run mark in international cricket. Babar has now collected 15004 runs at an average of 45.46 with 31 centuries and 104 fifties with the highest score of 196.

Babar Azam creates new milestone to join former legends during PAK vs SA ODI series

In the third 50-over clash of the series, the Proteas put 143 runs on the board in 37.5 overs. Their left-handed opening batter of the side, Quinton de Kock, has smashed 53 runs in 70 balls at a strike rate of 75.71 with the help of six boundaries and one six. His opening partner, Lhuan de Pretorious, got 39 while the next best score was 16.

In the chase, Saim smacked 77 runs in 70 balls at a strike rate of 110 with the help of 11 fours and one six while Rizwan remained unbeaten on 32 runs to complete the successful chase by seven wickets in 25.1 overs.

Pakistan had an excellent performance during the opening ODI of the three-match series against South Africa at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. The stage was set for the second clash at the same ground, where the focus and pressure were on the Proteas to make a strong comeback. The Rainbow Nation brought Nandre Burger for the fixture.

Burger had the new ball talk inside the power play. He found the outside edge of the left-handed opening batter, Fakhar Zaman, for a three duck before Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan also went back to the dressing room cheaply. However, Salman Agha, Mohammed Nawaz, and Saim Ayub smashed half-centuries to take themselves to a safe position.

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Ayub and Agha posted a fine 92-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Nawaz showed his class for 59 runs at a strike rate of 100 with the help of three boundaries and four sixes. Meanwhile, Agha clubbed 69 runs, scoring five boundaries. But could they have finished on a strong note in their allotted 50 overs?

Watch: Naseem Shah’s six on innings’ last takes Pakistan to 269/9 in 50 overs vs South Africa

On the last ball of the innings, their right-handed batter, Naseem Shah, walked into the middle at number 10 and smashed Nqabayomzi Peter over the extra cover region for a six. He smiled as the entire crowd had a loud cheer to shoulder them to 269/9 in their allotted 50 overs of the first innings. Burger finished with 4/46 in 10 overs, while Peter also collected three wickets.

- Last ball of the innings.
- First ball for Naseem Shah.
- Steps out of the crease and smashes it out of the ground for six.

THE AURA OF NASEEM SHAH. 🔥🥶 pic.twitter.com/aU4Be9LDg8

— Sheri. (@CallMeSheri1_) November 6, 2025

In reply, Lhuan-de-Pretorious and wicket-keeper batter, Quinton de Kock, put up a fine opening stand of 81 runs in 11.5 overs. The former missed his fifty by four runs with the help of seven boundaries and one six, while de Kock celebrated a fine century and smashed seven boundaries and as many sixes.

As number three, Tony de Zorzi nailed 76 runs in just 63 balls with the help of nine boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 120.63 as the Proteas looked set to complete the chase by 40 overs.

The right-handed batter of the South Africa side, Dewald Brevis, has been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against the Pakistan side on November 04 with a low-grade shoulder muscle strain. He injured himself during the third T20I of the three-match T20I series in Lahore. The board has not even named a replacement for the veteran batter yet.

Brevis will be undergoing rehabilitation while remaining with the team in Pakistan ahead of the Proteas’ trip to India later this month, which will feature two Test matches, three ODIs, and five T20I encounters. The 22-year-old has got 110 runs in six 50-over innings at a strike rate of nearly 160.

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In the three fixtures, Brevis has scored only 56 runs at an average of under 19. Before getting injured, the Chennai Super Kings batter featured in all games on the trip to Pakistan as his highest score was 54, which he got in the second innings of the second Test at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. He would have loved to improve his record in the poor ODI career.

Dewald Brevis ruled out of the three-match ODI series against Pakistan

Brevis’s injury depletes South Africa’s ODI side further. They have decided to rest most all-format players- Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada- for the limited overs leg of the tour, along with injured Kwena Maphaka and Anrich Nortje, which has weakened their squad.

“He sustained the shoulder injury during the third T20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday. Brevis will undergo rehabilitation with the Proteas Men’s medical team in Pakistan in preparation for the upcoming Test tour of India. His replacement for the ODI series will be announced in due course.” The statement from the Proteas Men was expressed on X (formerly Twitter).

Matthew Breetzke captains the ODI side, having only made his debut earlier this year, and now will rely heavily on the wicket-keeper opening batter, Quinton de Kock, who will be playing 50-overs for the first time since reversing his retirement. The Proteas’ India trip will begin on November 14 with the first Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

PAK vs SA South Africa Tour of Pakistan, 2025 Match Preview:

Pakistan locks horns with South Africa in the first match of the ODI series. Pakistan defeated SA in the 3rd and final match of the T20I series and clinched the series 2-1. Pakistan will aim to replicate their performance in this series as well. Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the Pakistan team. He appointed ODI captain in place of M Rizwan.

On the other hand, Proteas will test their youngsters in this series. Matthew Breetzke will lead the African side. Quinton de Kock and Lungi Ngidi will support him. Pakistan lost their last ODI series against the Caribbean side, while Africa defeated England 2-1 in the previous ODI series. In this match, both teams will enter the field to open their account with a win.  

PAK vs SA Recent Performance:

PAK vs SA South Africa Tour of Pakistan, 2025 Match Details:

• Series/Tournament: South Africa Tour of Pakistan, 2025
• Match: PAK vs SA Match 1st ODI
• Date: 4 Nov. 2025
• Match Start Time: 03:30 PM IST
• Stadium/Venue: Iqbal Cricket Stadium, Faisalabad, Pakistan
• Live Score: cricketwinner.com
• Live Streaming: Fan Code app.

PAK vs SA Head-to-Head Stats:

(Last 10 Matches)

PAK vs SA Pitch & Weather Report:

The weather is expected to be favourable during this match. The temperature is expected to reach around 28.2°C. Based on previous stats, the average score at this venue ranges between 220 and 250 runs. The pitch offers good assistance to batters and pacers.

Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, Pakistan Stats: 

The Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, Pakistan, pitch is balanced, providing equal opportunities to both batsmen and bowlers. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first will be a wise decision on this surface.      

PAK vs SA Dream11 Prediction Playing 11

Pakistan (PAK) Probable 11:

1. Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), 2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3. Fakhar Zaman, 4. Saim Ayub, 5. Babar Azam, 6. Salman Agha, 7. Faheem Ashraf, 8. Mohammad Nawaz, 9. Naseem Shah, 10. Haris Rauf, 11. Abrar Ahmed

South Africa (SA) Probable 11:

1. Matthew Breetzke (c), 2. Quinton de Kock (wk), 3. Tony de Zorzi, 4. Dewald Brewis, 5. Donovan Ferreira, 6. Lhuan Dre Pretorius, 7. Corbin Bosch, 8. George Linde, 9. Lizaad Williams, 10. Nandre Burger, 11. Lungi Ngidi

PAK vs SA- Top Picks from PAK

PAK vs SA- Top Picks from SA

Cricket Winner Player’s Insight:

Matthew Breetzke (SA) has been the leading run getter for SA in the ODI format. He will be a key player from the Proteas side.

Saim Ayub (PAK) delivered an excellent all-round performance in the recently concluded T20I series. He will be a profitable pick for this match.

PAK vs SA Captain & Vice-Captain Choices:

PAK vs SA Fantasy Team Suggestion:  

PAK vs SA Dream11 Prediction Expert Advice 

PAK vs SA Dream11 Prediction Probable Winners:

PAK is expected to win this match. PAK announced a strong team for this match. Pakistan has experienced players, and home conditions also favour the Pakistan team. On the other hand, SA will take the field with youngsters; however, they have the potential to stun the Pakistani team. 

PAK vs SA 1st ODI FAQ

Who is likely to win the PAK vs SA match today?

Pakistan (PAK) is expected to win this match.

Who is ahead in head-to-head stats?    

Pakistan.

Who are the top fantasy picks for the PAK vs SA Dream11 team?

Matthew Breetzke, Corbin Bosch, Quinton de Kock, and Saim Ayub

What is the pitch report for this match?

The surface is balanced, and we can expect an average score range between 220 and 250 runs.

After a poor campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024, where Babar Azam, the former Pakistan captain, struggled with his strike rate, he was dropped from the eleven and didn’t feature even in the recent Asia Cup 2025. However, he returned to the national side during the home three-match T20I series against South Africa. 

There were discussions about whether Babar had worked on his aggressive batting and could take the bowlers on from the very first delivery. He played a sensational match-winning knock of 68 runs in the third fixture at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Now their former batter, Aamer Sohail, came in support of Babar’s batting.

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“In Pakistan, we have made the strike rate the most important thing. See all the finals that have been played of the World Cup; the highest score is 175. Otherwise, the scores have been around 150 or 160. So, strike rate is important, but we have made it the most essential thing. Sohail expressed with Babar sitting next to him.

Watch: Aamer Sohail stands for Babar Azam’s support regarding poor strike rate agenda

In the third and final game of the series against the Proteas, Babar smashed 68 runs in 47 balls at a strike rate of 144.68 with the help of nine boundaries. It was a sensational knock to complete the chase of 140 runs by four wickets to seal the series by a 2-1 margin.

Amir Sohail cooked the "Strike Rate" and "Modern Day Cricket" agenda while sitting right next to @babarazam258 🔥 pic.twitter.com/qwiNj4tdBQ

— Hassan Abbasian (@HassanAbbasian) November 1, 2025

“So, I think the averages matter. When the big finals come, these are the players who will win you the games. Those players who have a controlled average can only win you games. Otherwise, South Africa had some of the best batters in terms of strike rates. Where are they now? Sohail addressed the same discussion.  

So at the end of the play, you should have a balance in your game. Pakistan needs to get this thought process in the right zone. In our team, the talent is immense, and the players can go ahead any time.” The former batter claimed that Babar would hope to keep the same rhythm in future T20Is. 

The former T20I captain of the Pakistan side, Babar Azam, has broken the T20I record of Virat Kohli through his series-winning knock of 68 runs in 46 balls with the help of nine boundaries that saw him guide the home side to a four-wicket victory over South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. They chased down the target after restricting the Proteas to 139/9 in the first innings. 

Babar has been out of the T20I set-up of the national side for more than a year since the T20 World Cup 2024, where questions were raised on his strike rate as they failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage of the event. But on his return, he continues to find a good rhythm with the bat ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

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After a duck in the opening Rawalpindi clash, Babar overtook Rohit Sharma’s record of most runs in T20Is. In the third game, he played a composed innings, which renewed confidence, especially against the pacer who struggled with a wet ball due to the heavy dew.

Babar Azam overtakes Virat Kohli’s record during PAK vs SA Lahore T20I

With his knock in Lahore, Babar now holds the record for most fifty-plus scores in T20Is- 40 (37 fifties and three centuries), which has now surpassed Virat Kohli, who has bagged 39 (38 half-centuries and one century). This was Babar’s first T20I half-century since May 2024 against Ireland ahead of that year’s World Cup.

Rohit is third on the list with 32 fifties and five centuries, while Mohammed Rizwan, the wicket-keeper batter of Pakistan, is behind the Nagpur-born with 30 fifties and one century. David Warner is fifth on the list with 28 half-centuries and one hundred.

Babar, who will now shift his focus to the upcoming tri-series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, has notched up 4302 runs in 124 innings at an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 129 with the help of 37 half-centuries and three centuries at the best score of 122.

Pakistan’s mystery spinner, Usman Tariq, has revealed how he made a remarkable return to the game after being inspired by the biopic of the former World Cup-winning captain of the Indian side, MS Dhoni, which reignited his passion for the sport after being away from the game for several years. 

The 27-year-old spinner, Usman Tariq, has earned his maiden call-up to the squad for the three-match T20I series against South Africa at home. He left a stable job in Dubai to give his cricketing dream one last shot. In 36 T20S, the right-arm spinner has picked up 54 wickets at an average of 18.07 and a strike rate of 15.70 with an economy rate of under seven, thanks to three four-wicket hauls at the best figures of 4/17.

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“I left the game after I did not get selected, and I was working as a salesman in a purchasing company in Dubai. Then I watched MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, and it inspired me a lot. I left the job and came back to Pakistan to pursue cricket again.” Tariq expressed during a recent interaction on Telecom Asia Sport.

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq takes inspiration from MS Dhoni’s biopic- The Untold Story

Tariq was excellent for the Trinbago Knight Riders during the 2025 season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He bagged 20 wickets in 10 innings at an average of under 14 and a strike rate of 11.4 with an economy rate of 7.31, thanks to a couple of four-wicket hauls at the best figures of 4/33 in an inning. He finished only behind Imran Tahir in the list.

“I was born with a unique right elbow that has two corners. I just want to play for Pakistan and perform. It took a long time to reach here, but every setback has made me stronger.” Tariq added in the discussion.

The spinner has a unique action that has caught plenty of attention and controversy. He comes and pauses dramatically in his delivery stride before completing the halt and hurling the ball with a side-arm flick movement like the veteran spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin. In the opening T20I in Rawalpindi, he didn't get chance to feature against the Proteas. 

The entire Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Islamabad will turn pink on October 28 during the opening T20I of the three-match series between Pakistan and South Africa. Due to the social responsibility, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to support the Pink Ribbon to create awareness about breast cancer.

The new initiative is a part of #PINKtober, which is a breast cancer awareness month. For the opening clash, the home side will wear the specially designed pink-themed kits to celebrate the special occasion, while the Proteas and the match officials will wear the pink ribbons in solidarity with the cause. The coaching staff and the commentators will also wear pink ribbons throughout the fixture.

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“The Pakistan Cricket Board takes immense pride in using the power and reach of cricket to create awareness about causes that affect our society. Through the Pink Ribbon campaign, we aim to highlight the importance of early detection and regular screening for breast cancer, which can save countless lives.” Sumair Ahmed Syed, the chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), expressed.

PCB’s new initiative to celebrate breast cancer awareness during first T20I against South Africa

The stumps for the game in Rawalpindi will be branded pink. Commentators will share awareness messages during the live broadcast as well. It’s a partnership of the board with the Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Trust Hospital located in Lahore. The visitors can also visit it for free examination and screening on October 28.

“This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility. We are grateful to both teams, match officials, broadcasters, and fans for joining hands in supporting this vital cause. Together, we hope to spread awareness and encourage meaningful action across communities.” Sumair Syed addressed.

“We are grateful to the Pakistan Cricket Board for supporting Pink Ribbon through this special cricket match. This collaboration aims to raise national awareness about breast cancer and highlight the importance of early detection. Cricket unites our nation, and today, it’s uniting us for a life-saving cause.” Umar Aftab, the Pink Ribbon CEO, shed light.

South Africa ended their 18-year wait for a Test win in Pakistan after winning the second game of the two-match Test series at Rawalpindi to end the series level at 1-1. 

Leading the Test series by 1-0 after winning the series opener by 93 runs at Lahore, Pakistan chose to bat first at Rawalpindi. While they scored 333 runs in the first innings, South Africa were once struggling at 235/8, but the lower-order batters' brilliant batting helped the visitors to score 404 runs.

On the fourth day of the Test match, while Pakistan started at 94/4, South Africa bundled them out for only 138 runs, as the visitors needed only 68 runs in the fourth innings to win the game. South Africa lost only two late wickets to secure a comfortable win by eight wickets.

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South Africa recorded third Test win in Pakistan

It was South Africa's third Test win in Pakistan. After their first Test win at Faisalabad in 1997, the Proteas recorded their second Test victory in Pakistan at Karachi in 2007. Now, they won the third Test in Pakistan after recording one draw and three straight losses since their previous Test win in Karachi. It was the 18-year wait for South Africa to win a Test match in Pakistan.

Last time, South Africa beat Pakistan in Asia in the 2013 Dubai Test, where the Proteas won by an innings and 92 runs. After that Dubai Test victory, the Proteas suffered three straight Test defeats in Pakistan before winning the latest one at Rawalpindi.

South Africa won three out of last four Tests in Asia

After 14 winless Tests in Asia for a decade (four draws and 10 losses), South Africa have recorded three wins in their last four Tests in Asia. In October 2024, South Africa won two Tests in Bangladesh, and in the ongoing month, they first suffered the Lahore Test defeat before winning the Rawalpindi Test to level the series. 

South Africa will play their next Test series against the hosts India in upcoming November, which will also be a part of the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship. 

Pakistan suffered a massive eight-wicket defeat against South Africa at home and failed to clinch the series victory during the second of the two-match Test series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. With the loss, they slipped to the fifth position in the latest updated points table for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27.

It's the first win for the Proteas in Pakistan after 18 years in a red-ball fixture. The tourists were behind in the contest, where they found themselves eight down for 235 runs in the first innings. But it was a crazy batting display from the lower order of the side, especially Kagiso Rabada. 

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Senuran Muthusamy remained unbeaten on 89 runs in 155 balls with the help of eight boundaries at a strike rate of 57.42, while Keshav Maharaj smashed 30 runs at number 10. At number 11, the left-handed batter of the Proteas, Kagiso Rabada, clubbed 71 runs in 61 balls, hitting four boundaries and four sixes.

Check latest updated WTC 2025-27 points table after PAK vs SA 2025 Test series

In the third innings of the game, apart from Babar Azam’s 50 and a little contribution of 28 runs from Salman Agha, no one was able to put a score on the board as the home side got bundled out for 138 runs. Simon Harmer picked up 6/50 in 20 overs.

World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings

In reply, the visitors completed the chase of 73 runs by eight wickets in just 75 deliveries to square the series by a 1-1 margin. South Africa will now shift their focus to the white-ball leg of the trip before flying to India for the Test series in the middle of November.