South Africa’s Big Win Sends India Climbing to Third in World Test Championship

South Africa secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Rawalpindi on Thursday, leveling the two-match series 1-1. Chasing a modest 68 runs, Aiden Markram's unbeaten 42 guided the Proteas to a comfortable finish, capping a stellar performance highlighted by spinner Simon Harmer's career milestone. Harmer claimed 6-50 in the second innings, reaching 1,000 first-class wickets in his 235th match, becoming only the fourth South African to achieve this feat.

Pakistan's second innings crumbled dramatically, folding for 138 after resuming at 94-4 on the fourth morning. They lost six wickets for just 44 runs, with Harmer dismantling the middle order: trapping Babar Azam lbw for 50—extending his century drought since December 2022—and dismissing Mohammad Rizwan for 18 soon after. Noman Ali fell for a duck, caught behind off Harmer's historic delivery, while the tail offered little resistance, losing the last five wickets for 33 runs. Keshav Maharaj supported with 2-34, following his 7-102 in the first innings.

The defeat has significantly altered the World Test Championship standings. Pakistan plummeted from second to fifth, while South Africa surged to fourth. Australia remain atop the table, with Sri Lanka in second, but India capitalized on the result, climbing from fourth to third and strengthening their position in the race for the WTC final.

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This outcome underscores the high stakes of every Test in the cycle, benefiting India as they prepare for upcoming challenges. With the table now tighter, India's recent form positions them favorably, though consistency will be key to maintaining this upward trajectory in the championship.

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