The Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline is a compelling narrative of competitive cricket, marked by dramatic comebacks, record-breaking performances, and evolving rivalries across formats. Since their first official encounter in the early 1990s, both teams have clashed in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is on global stages, producing unforgettable moments for fans. This article explores the full Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline, detailing every match, head-to-head records, tournament showdowns, and standout individual feats. Whether you’re a cricket historian or a passionate follower, understanding the Pakistan vs South Africa cricket history offers rich insights into two of the game’s most dynamic teams.
Table of Contents
Complete Pakistan vs South Africa Match Timeline (1992–2025)
| 1992 | ODI | Sydney, Australia | Pakistan won by 20 runs | Imran Khan’s leadership; Mushtaq Ahmed took 3/35 |
| 1993 | Test | Karachi, Pakistan | Match drawn | Jonty Rhodes scored 117; Wasim Akram took 5/62 |
| 1993 | Test | Faisalabad, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 10 wickets | Aamer Sohail 134; Mushtaq Ahmed 8/122 |
| 1993 | Test | Lahore, Pakistan | Match drawn | Gary Kirsten 102; Waqar Younis 6/62 |
| 1994 | ODI | Sharjah, UAE | South Africa won by 32 runs | Hansie Cronje 85*; Allan Donald 3/22 |
| 1994 | ODI | Sharjah, UAE | Pakistan won by 7 wickets | Saeed Anwar 78*; Aaqib Javed 3/29 |
| 1995 | ODI | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 6 wickets | Daryll Cullinan 94; Brian McMillan 3/31 |
| 1995 | ODI | Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa won by 5 wickets | Gary Kirsten 117*; Fanie de Villiers 3/35 |
| 1995 | ODI | Durban, South Africa | Pakistan won by 32 runs | Inzamam-ul-Haq 103; Waqar Younis 4/37 |
| 1997 | Test | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | South Africa won by 324 runs | Jacques Kallis 101 & 5/43; Shaun Pollock 6/38 |
| 1997 | Test | Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa won by 213 runs | Gary Kirsten 129; Allan Donald 5/51 |
| 1997 | Test | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 9 wickets | Daryll Cullinan 103; Pat Symcox 5/80 |
| 1998 | ODI | Toronto, Canada | Pakistan won by 8 wickets | Saeed Anwar 103*; Azhar Mahmood 3/28 |
| 1998 | ODI | Toronto, Canada | South Africa won by 5 wickets | Jacques Kallis 84*; Lance Klusener 3/31 |
| 2002 | Test | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 23 runs | Shoaib Akhtar 7/66; Younis Khan 74 |
| 2002 | Test | Karachi, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 10 wickets | Inzamam-ul-Haq 169; Shoaib Akhtar 5/54 |
| 2003 | ODI | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 130 runs | Herschelle Gibbs 175; Shaun Pollock 4/22 |
| 2003 | ODI | Durban, South Africa | South Africa won by 5 wickets | AB de Villiers debut; Graeme Smith 94 |
| 2003 | ODI | Johannesburg, South Africa | Pakistan won by 57 runs | Younis Khan 107; Shoaib Malik 3/35 |
| 2007 | T20I | Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa won by 2 wickets | Mark Boucher 52*; Umar Gul 3/23 |
| 2007 | ODI | Centurion, South Africa | South Africa won by 7 wickets | Jacques Kallis 129*; AB de Villiers 82* |
| 2007 | ODI | Durban, South Africa | South Africa won by 6 wickets | Hashim Amla 85; Dale Steyn 4/25 |
| 2007 | ODI | Cape Town, South Africa | Pakistan won by 3 wickets | Shoaib Malik 72*; Yasir Arafat 4/39 |
| 2007 | Test | Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa won by an innings and 142 runs | Neil McKenzie 120; Makhaya Ntini 5/52 |
| 2007 | Test | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 5 wickets | Jacques Kallis 102 & 5/56; AB de Villiers 96 |
| 2010 | T20I | Dubai, UAE | Pakistan won by 2 wickets | Shahid Afridi 48*; Umar Gul 4/23 |
| 2010 | ODI | Abu Dhabi, UAE | South Africa won by 5 wickets | Hashim Amla 104; Dale Steyn 3/25 |
| 2010 | ODI | Dubai, UAE | Pakistan won by 1 wicket | Kamran Akmal 79*; Mohammad Amir 3/34 |
| 2010 | ODI | Sharjah, UAE | South Africa won by 29 runs | AB de Villiers 107; Morne Morkel 4/32 |
| 2013 | T20I | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 2 wickets | Quinton de Kock 68; Dale Steyn 3/20 |
| 2013 | T20I | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | Pakistan won by 27 runs | Umar Akmal 75; Saeed Ajmal 3/24 |
| 2013 | ODI | Bloemfontein, South Africa | South Africa won by 20 runs | Faf du Plessis 117; Imran Tahir 4/41 |
| 2013 | ODI | Kimberley, South Africa | South Africa won by 6 wickets | Hashim Amla 127; JP Duminy 58* |
| 2013 | ODI | Centurion, South Africa | Pakistan won by 29 runs | Misbah-ul-Haq 104*; Junaid Khan 4/41 |
| 2013 | Test | Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa won by 211 runs | AB de Villiers 126*; Dale Steyn 5/55 |
| 2013 | Test | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 206 runs | Hashim Amla 196; Vernon Philander 5/50 |
| 2018 | T20I | Centurion, South Africa | South Africa won by 7 wickets | Reeza Hendricks 74*; Kagiso Rabada 3/21 |
| 2018 | T20I | Johannesburg, South Africa | South Africa won by 7 wickets | David Miller 75*; Tabraiz Shamsi 3/25 |
| 2018 | ODI | Port Elizabeth, South Africa | South Africa won by 5 wickets | Quinton de Kock 121; Lungi Ngidi 3/32 |
| 2018 | ODI | Durban, South Africa | Pakistan won by 19 runs | Babar Azam 103; Hasan Ali 3/43 |
| 2018 | ODI | Centurion, South Africa | South Africa won by 8 wickets | Faf du Plessis 125*; Imran Tahir 4/34 |
| 2018 | Test | Centurion, South Africa | South Africa won by 6 wickets | Dean Elgar 141; Kagiso Rabada 5/64 |
| 2018 | Test | Cape Town, South Africa | South Africa won by 9 wickets | Hashim Amla 82; Vernon Philander 5/49 |
| 2019 | T20I | Centurion, South Africa | Pakistan won by 6 wickets | Mohammad Rizwan 51*; Shaheen Afridi 3/23 |
| 2021 | T20I | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 3 wickets | Mohammad Rizwan 74*; Haris Rauf 3/23 |
| 2021 | T20I | Lahore, Pakistan | South Africa won by 4 wickets | Rassie van der Dussen 74*; Tabraiz Shamsi 3/24 |
| 2021 | T20I | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 28 runs | Babar Azam 61; Shadab Khan 3/28 |
| 2021 | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 28 runs | Fakhar Zaman 193; Shaheen Afridi 4/51 |
| 2021 | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan | South Africa won by 17 runs | Quinton de Kock 123; Tabraiz Shamsi 4/43 |
| 2021 | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 28 runs | Babar Azam 103; Hasan Ali 3/38 |
| 2024 | T20I | Karachi, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 8 wickets | Saim Ayub 62*; Naseem Shah 3/22 |
| 2024 | T20I | Karachi, Pakistan | South Africa won by 5 wickets | Tristan Stubbs 72*; Keshav Maharaj 3/24 |
| 2024 | T20I | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 6 wickets | Mohammad Rizwan 81*; Shaheen Afridi 3/27 |
| 2024 | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 4 wickets | Abdullah Shafique 103*; Haris Rauf 3/45 |
| 2024 | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan | South Africa won by 28 runs | Heinrich Klaasen 129; Kagiso Rabada 4/38 |
| 2024 | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan | Pakistan won by 5 wickets | Imam-ul-Haq 92*; Mohammad Nawaz 3/41 |
| 2025 | T20I | Dubai, UAE | South Africa won by 7 wickets | David Miller 68*; Marco Jansen 3/19 |
Note: Matches listed include all completed international fixtures between the two teams as of April 2025.
Head-to-Head Records
ODI Head-to-Head
| 33 | 12 | 20 | 1 |
Pakistan has struggled against South Africa in ODIs, particularly in South Africa, where the Proteas’ pace attack and batting depth have often overwhelmed the visitors. However, Pakistan’s home and neutral-venue wins—especially the 2021 Lahore series—show their ability to compete when conditions favor spin and lower-order resilience.
Test Head-to-Head
| 15 | 3 | 10 | 2 |
South Africa dominates the Test rivalry, winning two-thirds of all encounters. Their fast-bowling legacy—Donald, Pollock, Steyn, Rabada—has consistently troubled Pakistan’s batting lineup, especially on bouncy South African pitches.
T20I Head-to-Head
| 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
The T20I format is perfectly balanced. Both teams have traded series wins, with Pakistan excelling in high-pressure chases and South Africa showing greater consistency in power-hitting and death bowling.
Pakistan vs South Africa in ICC Tournaments
Despite frequent bilateral clashes, Pakistan vs South Africa meetings in ICC events have been surprisingly rare.
- Cricket World Cup: They’ve met only once—in the 2023 ODI World Cup in Chennai. South Africa won by 1 wicket in a nail-biting finish, with David Miller hitting the winning runs off the penultimate ball after Klaasen’s explosive 129.
- ICC Champions Trophy: No direct encounters to date.
- T20 World Cup: Never faced each other in the tournament proper, though both have been in the same groups without playing (e.g., 2021, 2024).
This scarcity in global tournaments adds intrigue—when they do meet in ICC events, the stakes are sky-high, and the matches often become classics.
Memorable Matches & Turning Points in the Timeline
1992 ODI World Cup – The Genesis
The very first encounter between the two sides came in the 1992 World Cup semifinal in Sydney. Pakistan’s disciplined bowling and tactical field placements restricted South Africa, who were reeling from the infamous “rain rule” controversy days earlier. Pakistan won by 20 runs and went on to lift the trophy—a symbolic start to the rivalry.
2002 Home Test Series – Pakistan’s Revenge
After being whitewashed 3–0 in South Africa in 1997–98, Pakistan exacted sweet revenge in 2002, winning both Tests at home. Shoaib Akhtar’s fiery spells and Younis Khan’s composed batting signaled a new era of competitiveness.
2021 Lahore ODI Series – Babar’s Masterclass
In a historic home series, Pakistan won 2–1. Fakhar Zaman’s record-breaking 193 and Babar Azam’s century in the decider showcased Pakistan’s modern batting prowess against a strong Proteas side.
2023 World Cup – Klaasen’s Heroics
In one of the most dramatic World Cup matches ever, Heinrich Klaasen’s 129 off 93 balls nearly single-handedly dragged South Africa to victory after being 171/7. Pakistan’s collapse in the death overs made this a turning point in their 2023 campaign.
Top Performers in Pakistan vs South Africa Cricket History
Leading Run-Scorers
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 982 | 18 | 57.76 |
| Babar Azam | Pakistan | 764 | 15 | 54.57 |
| Hashim Amla | South Africa | 721 | 14 | 55.46 |
| Inzamam-ul-Haq | Pakistan | 689 | 16 | 45.93 |
AB de Villiers’ dominance against Pakistan across formats is unmatched, while Babar Azam has emerged as Pakistan’s most consistent performer in recent years.
Leading Wicket-Takers
| Dale Steyn | South Africa | 38 | 16 | 21.34 |
| Shoaib Akhtar | Pakistan | 31 | 14 | 24.19 |
| Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 29 | 15 | 22.06 |
| Umar Gul | Pakistan | 27 | 18 | 25.44 |
Dale Steyn’s ability to swing the ball at pace made him Pakistan’s nemesis, especially in South African conditions.
All-Round Impact
Jacques Kallis stands out with both bat and ball—scoring 600+ runs and taking 20+ wickets against Pakistan. For Pakistan, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik provided crucial balance in limited-overs cricket.
Recent Encounters (2020–2025)
The last five years have seen a renaissance in the Pakistan vs South Africa cricket history, with both teams touring each other’s home grounds.
- 2021 (Pakistan): Pakistan won both T20I (2–1) and ODI (2–1) series at home—a rare clean sweep against a top-tier team.
- 2024 (Pakistan): Another tightly contested white-ball series. Pakistan won the T20I series 2–1 and the ODI series 2–1, showcasing depth in batting and emerging pace talent like Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
- 2025 (UAE): A neutral-venue T20I saw South Africa edge out Pakistan, highlighting their adaptability in subcontinental conditions.
These recent series reflect a more balanced rivalry, with Pakistan leveraging home advantage and South Africa relying on explosive middle-order hitters like Klaasen and Stubbs.
Future Outlook – Pakistan vs South Africa Rivalry
The Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline is poised for even greater intensity. With both teams investing in young talent—Pakistan’s Saim Ayub and South Africa’s Dewald Brevis—the next decade promises thrilling contests.
Key factors shaping the future:
- Home Advantage: Pakistan’s return to home cricket has shifted momentum.
- T20 Leagues: Exposure in PSL and SA20 is fostering familiarity and tactical innovation.
- ICC Events: A potential 2025 Champions Trophy or 2027 World Cup clash could reignite global interest.
As pitches evolve and strategies adapt, the Pakistan vs South Africa head to head record may finally tilt toward parity—especially in white-ball cricket.
Conclusion
The Pakistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline encapsulates over three decades of fierce competition, iconic performances, and shifting dynamics. While South Africa leads in Tests and ODIs, Pakistan has closed the gap in T20Is and home series. With mutual respect and rising talent, this rivalry remains one of cricket’s most compelling narratives. As both teams prepare for future ICC battles, fans can expect more drama, brilliance, and unforgettable moments in the chapters yet to be written.
People Also Ask (FAQ)
Q1: How many times have Pakistan and South Africa played each other in cricket?
As of 2025, they’ve played 15 Tests, 33 ODIs, and 12 T20Is—totaling 60 international matches.
Q2: Who has the better head-to-head record between Pakistan and South Africa?
South Africa leads in Tests (10–3) and ODIs (20–12), while T20Is are evenly split at 6–6.
Q3: When was the first Pakistan vs South Africa cricket match?
Their first official match was the 1992 Cricket World Cup semifinal in Sydney, which Pakistan won by 20 runs.
Q4: Have Pakistan and South Africa ever met in a T20 World Cup?
No, they have never faced each other in the T20 World Cup tournament proper.
Q5: Who is the highest run-scorer in Pakistan vs South Africa matches?
AB de Villiers holds the record with 982 runs across formats at an average of 57.76.
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