Keshav Maharaj ripped apart the Pakistani middle and lower order with his spin magic in the first innings of the Rawalpindi Test. Maharaj etched his name into the history books with his seven-wicket haul on Day 2 of the clash.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj starred with the ball as he ripped apart the Pakistan middle and lower order in the first innings of the second Test between the two teams. Making a return to the side from his injury, Maharaj picked up a seven-wicket haul and led the Proteas to bowl Pakistan out for 333 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The day had begun with both teams at even stevens, with Pakistan having made 259/5 but lost their way in the first session on the second day. While the overnight pair of Salman Agha and Saud Shakeel provided a decent start, the Men in Green lost their way later. From being 316/5, Pakistan were bowled out for 333 with Maharaj taking all five wickets that fell on the second day. He had also taken two on Day 1.
Maharaj achieves best figures for a South African in Pakistan
With his 7/102, Maharaj has achieved the best bowling figures by a South African bowler in Pakistan. The left-arm spinner was on fire and made things so difficult for the Pakistani batter out there. His seven-wicket haul leapfrogged Paul Adams’ previous record of 7/128 during the Lahore Test in 2003.
Best bowling figures for SA in PAK:
1 – Keshav Maharaj: 7/102 in Rawalpindi Test in 2025
2 – Paul Adams: 7/128 in Lahore Test in 2003
3 – Shaun Pollock: 6/78 in the Faisalabad Test in 2003
4 – Senuran Muthusamy: 6/117 in Lahore Test in 2025
5 – Shaun Pollock: 5/37 in the Faisalabad Test in 1997
Maharaj first Proteas spinner to 50 wickets in Asia
Meanwhile, Maharaj has also achieved another huge record. He has become the first South African spinner to have completed 50 wickets in Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and UAE) in Test cricket.
He is also the second non-Asian bowler, after Nathan Lyon, to have recorded multiple seven-wicket hauls in Asia. Apart from his 7/102 in Rawalpindi, Maharaj had bagged 9/129 in the Colombo Test in 2018.