South Africa beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the second Test in Rawalpindi on Thursday to draw the series 1-1 with Simon Harmer taking a maiden five-wicket haul.
The 36-year-old off-spinner finished with 6-50, taking his 1,000th first-class wicket in the process, on a deteriorating Rawalpindi stadium pitch.
South Africa reached the 68-run target for the loss of captain Aiden Markram (42) and Tristan Stubbs (nought), both to spinner Noman Ali, who finished with 2-40.
Tristan Stubbs was caught in the slips in the same over without scoring.
Resuming Day 4 on 94-4, Pakistan’s batters folded, adding just 44 runs. Off-spinner Simon Harmer took six wickets to help dismiss Pakistan for 138. The 36-year-old finished with 6-50 for a maiden five-wicket haul — also completing 1,000 first-class wickets — on a deteriorating Rawalpindi stadium pitch.
Harmer jolted Pakistan’s hopes of saving the Test when he trapped Babar Azam leg-before with the fifth ball of the day after the batsman had reached his 30th Test half-century.
Pakistan’s hopes had rested on Azam ending his century drought, having not scored a ton since December 2022.
Nine runs later, Harmer had Mohammad Rizwan caught by close-in fielder Tony de Zorzi for 18.
In his next over, the spinner dismissed Noman Ali for nought, caught behind for Harmer´s 1,000th wicket in his 235th first-class match.
