South Africa National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Stats

Cricket, often referred to as the ‘gentleman’s game’, has taken numerous steps to open itself more to the public and has without a doubt, always been a sphere of rivalry without limits. This can be seen through the South Africa national cricket team and Pakistan national cricket team, where quite a number of cricket series across all forms have been played, and all of them have been battle royals. If you are interested in any of these two sides’ historic and recent performances, this blog captures their relevant test, ODI, and T20I records.

South Africa vs Pakistan: A Rich History of Rivalry

It has always been a competitive rivalry between South Africa and Pakistan, and their cricket matches, separate from one-sided rival matches, are fun to watch. Each nation’s players always performed exceptionally well, whether in Pakistan or South Africa.

South Africa vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Stats (All Formats)

Let’s break down their rivalry across formats:

1. Test Matches

• Total Matches: 28
• South Africa Wins: 15
• Pakistan Wins: 8
• Draws: 5
• Highest Team Total: SA 620/7d (2013), PAK 553 (2007)
• Best Bowling (Innings): Dale Steyn (6/8) vs PAK (2013), Yasir Shah (8/141) vs SA (2021).

Key Takeaway: South Africa dominates in Tests, especially at home, but Pakistan’s 2021 series win marked a historic upset.

2. ODI Matches

• Total Matches: 82
• South Africa won: 51
• Pakistan Wins: 30
• No Result: 1
• Highest Total: SA 392/6 (2015), PAK 338/5 (2021).
• Top Performers:
  • Batters: AB de Villiers (SA) averages 57.2 vs PAK; Babar Azam (PAK) averages 49.8 vs SA.
  • Bowlers: Shaun Pollock (SA) took 40 wickets; Waqar Younis (PAK) claimed 34 wickets.

Key Takeaway: South Africa holds a clear edge, but Pakistan’s recent ODI wins (like the 2021 series) signal a shift.

3. T20 Internationals

• Total Matches: 23
• South Africa Wins: 10
• Pakistan Wins: 13
• Highest Total: SA 192/6 (2021), PAK 195/6 (2021).
• Notable Match: Pakistan chased down 204 in Johannesburg (2021) – one of the greatest T20I run-chases.

Key Takeaway: Pakistan dominates T20Is, thanks to aggressive batting and spin-friendly strategies.

5 Memorable South Africa vs Pakistan Clashes

• In 1998, Pakistan set out to conquer South Africa for the first time after winning a series. The magic commenced when Wasim Akram took a stunning 10 wickets during the test series.
• During group stage matches of the 2007 ODI World Cup, Gibbs hit an insane high of 6 sixes in one over against Shoaib Akhtar, completely obliterating the bowler.
• In 2013’s Johannesburg test, South Africa set a record of 620/7d, which Amla helped significantly by making 196 runs.
• During the 2021 T20I match, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan formed a powerful duo that chased down a South African score 204; they made an incredible contribution of 197 runs as a partnership.
• Returning to 2023, Shaheen Afridi performed remarkably, achieving a score of 6/35. His accomplishment led Pakistan to win their ODI series against South Africa.

Why This Rivalry Stands Out?

• Bowling Firepower: In this respect, Pakistan is no match for South Africa- Both teams have legendary pacers: Steyn & Rabada versus Akram & Afridi
• Unpredictability: T-shirts with South Africa’s “cornered tigers” strategy printed while cheering for argued promotion in SA were amusing. There’s more to decency than just earning an exhibition tour.
• Neutral Venue Thrillers: Pivotal nail-biters often arise during the UAE and England matches.

FAQs: South Africa vs Pakistan Cricket Stats

Q1. Which team is winning in the South Africa versus Pakistan Test face-offs?

South Africa is in the lead with 15 wins, and Pakistan has 8 out of the 28 matches played.

Q2. Who is the leading scorer of this grudge match?

Jacques Kallis (SA) outscored Pakistan with a total of 1,356 runs in Test matches.

Q3. Have the Pakistanis ever claimed a Test series in South Africa?

Indeed. This was their first time winning a Test series on South African soil.

Q4. Which team won the most recent T20I SA vs PAK series?

The series was claimed by Pakistan in 2021 after winning 3 out of 4 matches.

Conclusion

The South Africa and Pakistan cricket rivalry has everything like entertainment, history, and talent. Although Pakistan trails South Africa in Test and ODI matches, their recent performances in T20Is keep the rivalry alive. The statistics are only part of the narrative – their clashes are explosive.