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Simon Harmer stuns Imam-ul-Haq with a spinning ball at Rawalpindi Stadium in the second Test, boosting South Africa’s hopes against Pakistan.
Simon Harmer celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq (Picture credit: AP)
Veteran South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer on Monday bowled a brilliant delivery to dismiss Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq for 17, a delivery which has garnered a lot of praise for the way it spun and caught the latter absolutely dumbfounded with the turn.
On Monday at Rawalpindi Stadium, Harmer’s vicious ball with a fresh red cherry tore through Imam’s defense on Day 1 of the second Test, leaving fans and commentators alike stunned.
In his very first over, Harmer got the ball to turn. Bowling around the wicket to Imam, he pitched it well outside leg stump and it zipped across the batter to smash into off stump, sending the bails flying.
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A stunned Imam could only watch in disbelief as Harmer celebrated with his teammates. The Proteas rallied around him, while fans online started linking the moment to South Africa’s upcoming tour of India.
The Proteas are all set for a two-match Test series in India this November, with games in Kolkata and Guwahati. With spin-friendly conditions expected, fans are already buzzing about the potential impact of South Africa’s spin trio, which could feature Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy and Harmer himself.
The World Test Champions, led by Aiden Markram, are touring Pakistan and trail in the series after a 93-run defeat in the first Test. The opening match was marred by sloppy Protea fielding, with multiple dropped catches permitting Pakistan to seize control in their first innings.
Although the visitors fought back in the later stages, the early damage proved too costly to overcome.
On Monday, South Africa started the second Test well, with Harmer dismissing Imam in the 13th over of the morning session. However, the breakthrough did not translate into sustained pressure, as the track started to flatten and offered minimal turn for the spinners.
October 20, 2025, 15:01 IST
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