Pakistan vs South Africa, 2nd Test at Rawalpindi, PAK v SA, Feb 04 2021 - Ball by Ball Commentary

And as Babar Azam lifts the series trophy, and poses for the camera, it's time for all of us to say goodbye from the Test series. On behalf of all our commentators and Thilak Ram from our scoring team, this is Sreshth Shah signing off on ESPNcricinfo. Don't forget, the T20Is begin Feb 11 and if you want some more cricket action right now, there's always India v England.

2.35pm Presentation.

Winning captain Babar Azam: "Thanks to South Africa for coming and playing competitive cricket. No real pressure as captain. When team successfully does the plans we decided, then you don't feel so much pressure. Shaheen's start, Hasan's comeback after one year, showed character. Outstanding from Hasan because he has awareness and took advantage of the experience of playing here. We keep trying new players, a combination of senior-junior. Our slip fielding was improved. We are trying to fix the little things. Confidence we get after winning against a good team is important. At one time, we thought the game could've gone either way when Markram and Bavuma were playing well. But we knew, one wicket and we can come back into the game again. And then we did that with the new ball."

Losing captain Quinton de Kock: "The first-innings deficit did play a big part. We lost the big moments in the game and that cost us. It's quite special to see Linde to come through after dislocating his finger. Showed big heart. It's painful at the moment, disappointment at losing. When we get back home, we'll have to look at our performances and improve on the way forward. Aiden had a question mark in the subcontinent. But the way he batted in the last two Test matches showed his fight, the pride he has in his performances."

Mohammad Rizwan is the Player of the Series. He says, "Basically when team planning happens and you do it well, then everything becomes easy. I got such plans from management, and tried to deliver. Wicketkeeping in Pakistan is difficult but the drills in practice helped me. In NZ you need to expect high balls, here low balls, so I practiced hard at this. Honestly, I go to bat in pressure time mostly, but I keep my faith in allah. Don't think about seam or swing, what is happening. So I forget about the pressure then and things become easy for me to play fearlessly. With stump mics (laughs) always on, I reduce my chatter these days. Being multilingual helps me communication with the pacers well too."

Hasan Ali is the Player of the Match for his ten-wicket haul. He says, "It was an important series since I was making a comeback, it's a dream for any player. Best thing was my team won the series with my performance. Mix of all aspects like confidence, line-length, fitness all played crucial role. I've become fitter and it's there for all to see. First-class cricket helped, nine games back to back. When you play domestic cricket you learn a lot. I got my rhythm from the domestic cricket."

Some PCB Awards to be given apparently. Pakistan's U-19 World Cup captain in the 2020 World Cup Rohail Nazir receives the PCB Emerging Player of the Year Award. And Kamran Ghulam wins the PCB Domestic Cricketer of the Year award. He was part of this Test squad. Mohammad Rizwan is the PCB Test Cricketer of the Year.

2.25pm Before the post-match presentation get underway. A reminder that in three days we have the three-match T20I series starting (Feb 11-14). All matches in Lahore.

A recap of the series, in terms of individual performers. Markram is the only man to get 200+ runs, and Pakistan's top scorer is Faheem Ashraf, at an average of 85.50! Among the bowlers, Hasan finishes with 12 scalps, Maharaj with 10, Nortje 9 and Yasir-Nauman have 8 each.

Ezen: "What a turnaround for Pakistan after New Zealand series."

2.20pm Pakistan players and team management are doing the baby cradle celebration with Fawad leading the way. Don't forget his contribution in the first Test.

2.15pm That's Babar Azam's first series win, and what a location to get it in. South Africa looked in pole position to actually win this Test when the new ball was taken at 241 for 3. But then the new-ball magic from Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi rocked them with the swing. Yasir then took the last. South Africa lost 7 for 33 runs after the new ball, and that's 2-0 for Pakistan.

Both teams now shaking hands. Hasan Ali has a stump as a souvenir. Linde, Markram and Maharaj have been South Africa's standout players. Don't forget Nortje's five-for either. But overall, as a unit, Pakistan were head and shoulders over South Africa. Elgar, du Plessis and de Kock had under-par contributions in both Tests.

Amjad Imdad: "@Michael this is not a collapse of any proportion brother this how test cricket is. It's a fourth innings day 5 of test cricket, against Pakistan and last but not least against Pakistan bowling attack who is renowned for these types of performances. I would say SA has shown guts."

Khurram Khan: "@Adnan.. How can you give Rizwan MoM and MoS to Hassan! I wont be able to understand that if a person cannot be a MoM in any of the two games, how can he get MoS! .. I will give both MoM and MoS to Hassan!"

Imtiaz: "Collapse or not, This is quality new ball bowling"

Simon: "Tughral is just casually dropping some timeless wisdom into the commentary, refracted through the timeless lens of test cricket :)"

Yasir Shah

sandeep: "Markram will be disgusted with himself for that poke, he imposed the end with 29/6 after that."

Tughral: "Hardus my friend there is an apt urdu idiom "kahin ke din baray kahin ki shamein.." loosely translated "Some places have longer nights, other have days" ..Fans want their sides to be world beaters all the time..sadly thats just not possible.Enjoy the memories that those legends of the game gave you and be patient with this lot and dont put on them a burden which they might not be able to lift."

Adnan: "Now time for MoM and MoS award contenders. MoM is m rizwan and MoS hassan ali. "

Yousuf Ahmed: "Saying anybody has 'the quality to become the new Kallis' is disrespectful to Kallis! The greatest all rounder ever. "

Michael: "This is a collapse of the most epic proportions. Pakistani proportions even, only this time, it is Pakistan giving it out!"

Mirza Zaid: "A pitch that was supposed to be spin friendly has shaken hands with pacers."

Steve: "For his catching alone, keep Butt on"

Aidan Steyn: "Mulder has the quality to be our new "Kallis". This might be the innings that proves if he is capable of such stature." -- Just two partners left for him though. Kallis mostly had plenty alongside him in the prime of his career

Pakistan two wickets away from a 2-0 series win.\

Fahad Rahim: "@Tamryn... Same situation is for SA now. Score 102 while the last 2 wickets are left :)"

Tamryn Bates: "That 9th wicket partnership (with Nauman) has cost SA the game here. There are other issues that need to be addressed but you can't let the last two partnerships add 102 runs. The game would have been won already if it wasn't for that."

Hardus Engelbre: "Tough to watch as a Saffa fan! As belief and excitement grows, you get knocked back to reality by a brutal Tyson left hook confirming that this team is a long way from world class. While gaining conscious you can only dream of the old guard of "Smith, Kallis, Amla, de Villiers" that would make this seem possible! "