Simon Harmer shines as brilliant Proteas cruise to eight-wicket win against Pakistan

On Thursday, the Proteas batters chased down 68 runs with minimal damage to defeat the hosts on a spinning track in Rawalpindi to tie up the two-Test series. Oh how fans needed a third.

Arriving at the ground on Day 4, the win was far from secure. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were set with Pakistan on 94/4, albeit with a slender lead.

Harmer began the march to his maiden Test fiver in the first over of the day. One turned back into Azam, trapping him in front and while he reviewed, the third umpire gave him his marching orders. Harmer got his fifth wicket when Rizwan got an inside edge onto his pad that was gobbled up by short leg, and Pakistan's collapse was well underway.

A ripper and a sharp catch from wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne got rid of Noman Ali for Harmer's sixth, while a direct hit from Ryan Rickelton saw him run out Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Keshav Maharaj got in on the action with two late wickets to wrap up the Pakistan second innings for just 138, but it was Harmer's 6/50 that stole the morning show in Rawalpindi. Incredibly, it was the spinners' 1000th first-class wicket, the fourth South African to achieve this monumental haul. 

From there, it was a formality for the World Test Champions. Openers Rickelton and captain Aiden Markram were aggressive from ball one. The ageless Ali was aided by an aggressive field and struck twice, but Rickelton's six to end the series marked a memorable win for the Proteas, just their third Test victory in Asia in the last ten years.

The victory marked an incredible comeback from the South Africans. The Proteas were 235/8 and 98 runs behind in their second innings before Player of the Series Senuran Muthsamy, Maharaj and an inspired Kagiso Rabada took the Proteas past 400 and into a winning position.

The Proteas now swap the Test whites for the green and gold as they prepare for three T20Is and three ODIs, starting 28 October.