VIDEO: Hasan leads Pakistan to first Test series win against South Africa in 18 years
- 08 Feb 2021
Gulf Today Report
Medium pacer Hasan Ali placed his name on the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium’s Honour Board when he took a maiden ten-wicket haul to help Pakistan win its first series against South Africa since 2003 with a 95-run victory in the second Test on the fifth and final day on Monday.
Hasan finished with 5-60 to record his best match figures of 11-114 and help dismiss South Africa — who were set a daunting 370 to chase — for 274 before the tea break. Hasan's new-ball partner Shaheen Shah Afridi finished with 4-51, while spinner Yasir Shah took the last wicket to spark jubilation among the Pakistan players.
Opener Aiden Markram scored a fighting 108 and Temba Bavuma 61. They put on a 106-run stand for the fourth wicket to give Pakistan a scare.
winning trophy. AP
In the morning, both teams were involved in a keen battle for victory as South Africa resumed on 127-1, knowing the best chase at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in ten previous Tests was the 200 scored by Sri Lanka in 2000.
South Africa saw Dussen bowled off a beautiful inswinger by Hasan — only the third ball of the day -- while Du Plessis was leg-before to the same bowler in the fifth over of the morning.
It capped a sub-par series for the experienced Du Plessis who managed just 55 in four innings.
Hasan finished with 5-60 to record his best match figures of 11-114 and help dismiss South Africa — who were set a daunting 370 to chase — for 274 before the tea break.
Markram and Bavuma put on 106 runs for their fourth-wicket stand and had given South Africa hope of chasing down the 370-run target after the Proteas resumed on 129-1. But Hasan had Markram and captain Quinton de Kock caught at second slip off successive deliveries and South Africa lost its last seven wickets for just 33 runs after lunch.
De Kock was off his game both as wicketkeeper and middle-order batsman with the lefthander managing to score just 46 runs and getting out for a duck twice in the two-match series.
"The first-innings deficit did play a big part,” de Kock said referring to South Africa’s first innings effort of 201 in response to Pakistan's 272.
"We lost the big moments in the game … it’s painful at the moment, (but) when we get back home, we’ll have to look at our performances and improve on the way forward.”
Shaheen mopped up the tail with 4-51 before legspinner Yasir Shah brought up the victory by clean bowling Wiaan Mulder for 20.
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This is Pakistan's only second Test series win over South Africa in 12 attempts, having lost eight and drawn three. Pakistan last beat South Africa 1-0 in a two-match series at home in 2003. Pakistan won the first Test by seven wickets in Karachi.
The series against South Africa — who were touring Pakistan for the first time in 14 years — is the biggest hosted by the home side since a deadly 2009 militant attack on Sri Lanka's squad in Lahore halted international tours.
The series win also lifts Pakistan to fifth in international Test rankings — the first time they have placed in the top five since January 2017.
South Africa are pushed to sixth from fifth.
The two teams will now play three Twenty20 internationals on February 11, 13 and 14, all in Lahore.
Pakistan's players celebrate after winning the Test series against South Africa in Rawalpindi on Monday. AFP
Markram's fifth Test century — the first outside South Africa — included 13 boundaries and three sixes.
Next ball, Hasan had Quinton de Kock caught in the slip for nought, ending the South African skipper's miserable series with just 46 runs.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam was delighted with the win.
Babar Azam (left) celebrates with Hasan Ali after winning the Test series against South Africa in Rawalpindi. AFP
"Thanks to South Africa for coming and playing competitive cricket," said Azam. "Hasan's comeback after one year was great and he showed great character."
Hasan was sidelined for more than a year with multiple injuries but came back strongly with 12 wickets in the series.
Azam admitted South Africa's resistance provided a tough challenge for his side.
"At one time, we thought the game could've gone either way when Markram and Bavuma were playing well. But we knew, one wicket and we can come back into the game again," he said.
Losing captain Quinton de Kock said his team lacked a killer touch. "The first-innings deficit did play a big part," said de Kock. "We lost the big moments in the game and that cost us. It's painful at the moment.
"When we get back home, we'll have to look at our performances and improve on the way forward."
