Pakistan (PAK) will face South Africa (SA) in the second T20I of the five-match series on Thursday, October 31, 2025, at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. After a disappointing start in Rawalpindi, Pakistan will be looking to bounce back strongly in front of their home crowd, while South Africa will aim to seal an early lead in the series.
Match Details:
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Match: Pakistan vs South Africa, 2nd T20I
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Series: South Africa tour of Pakistan 2025
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Date & Time: Thursday, October 31, 2025 – 8:30 PM (IST) / 8:00 PM (PST)
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Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
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Live Streaming: FanCode (India), ARY ZAP / PTV Sports (Pakistan), SuperSport (South Africa), Willow TV (USA & Canada)
Team Overview
Pakistan:
Pakistan’s start to the series was far from ideal as they suffered a 55-run defeat in the first T20I. The batting unit failed to deliver, collapsing under pressure while chasing 194. Captain Salman Agha’s continued struggles with the bat have added to Pakistan’s middle-order woes, while Babar Azam’s early dismissal for a duck hurt the chase. Despite Mohammad Nawaz’s fighting effort with both bat and ball, Pakistan fell short in all departments.
With the series now at stake, Pakistan is likely to consider tactical changes. Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan at the top need to provide a solid start, while the middle order, featuring Babar Azam, Salman Agha, and Usman Khan, must stabilize the innings. The bowling attack, led by Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Abrar Ahmed, will have to show more discipline in the powerplay and death overs.
South Africa:
South Africa’s young and second-string side surprised many with their clinical performance in the series opener. Led by Donovan Ferreira, the Proteas dominated both batting and bowling. Reeza Hendricks played a superb knock, supported by Quinton de Kock and Tony de Zorzi, while George Linde and Corbin Bosch starred with the ball.
The team looks balanced, with all-rounders like Linde and Bosch providing depth. Dewald Brevis and Matthew Breetzke add explosive power in the middle order. South Africa will look to maintain their momentum and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Head-to-Head Record in T20Is
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Matches Played: 25
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Pakistan Wins: 12
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South Africa Wins: 13
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No Result/Tied: 0
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First Fixture: February 2, 2007 (SA won)
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Most Recent Fixture: October 28, 2025 (SA won)
Probable Playing XIs
Pakistan:
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Salman Agha (c), Usman Khan (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed
South Africa:
Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Matthew Breetzke, Donovan Ferreira (c), George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Lizaad Williams, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi
Pitch Report – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
The surface at Gaddafi Stadium generally favours batters, offering good bounce and pace that allows stroke-making. The quick outfield ensures that well-timed shots reach the boundary easily. Spinners may get some help in the second innings as the pitch slows down, but overall, high-scoring contests are common here. The team winning the toss might prefer to bat first and set a big total under lights.
Key Players to Watch
Reeza Hendricks: Coming off a strong half-century in the opening match, the experienced right-hander will once again be crucial at the top.
Mohammad Nawaz: Pakistan’s most effective performer in the previous game, his all-round abilities can make a difference in Lahore.
Dewald Brevis: Known as ‘Baby AB,’ the young star’s attacking intent could pose a big challenge for Pakistan’s bowlers.
Probable Match Scenarios
Pakistan will likely look to bat first if they win the toss, aiming to put South Africa under pressure with scoreboard pressure. The hosts must improve their middle-order performance to avoid another collapse. South Africa, on the other hand, will rely on their strong top-order and disciplined bowling to maintain control.
If early wickets fall for Pakistan, South Africa’s balanced side could once again dominate proceedings. However, if Pakistan’s senior players like Babar and Nawaz step up, the contest could go down to the wire.
Match Prediction
With both teams possessing strong batting depth, another high-scoring encounter is expected. However, given South Africa’s form and confidence from the first game, they hold a slight edge. Pakistan, playing at home, cannot be written off but will need a significantly improved showing to level the series.
Prediction: Team batting first to win the match.
