PAK vs SA: Babar urges Pakistan to aim higher after SA series win

Pakistan defeated the Proteas by 95 runs in the second Test at Rawalpindi on Monday to win the series 2-0.

The win helped Pakistan climb to No. 5 in the Test rankings for the first time since 2017.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam believed the team should be looking higher, post its 2-0 Test series victory over South Africa on Monday. The triumph helped it to rise to No. 5 in the Test rankings for the first time since 2017.

"Getting into the top five is promising and we would like to extend our win streak and rise a bit more higher in the ranking,"  the Pakistan captain said after a 95-run victory in the second test in Rawalpindi on Monday. 

Already captain of Pakistan's T20 and ODI teams, Babar was appointed as skipper of the Test side in November and was supposed to make his Test captaincy debut in New Zealand.

A fractured thumb ruled him out of that series, which Pakistan lost 2-0, and he returned for the matches against South Africa, scoring only 122 runs in the two tests.

"Individual performances do not really matter and, if you see, everyone played a role accordingly and finished off well," he said. "There were some mistakes and we're definitely going to improve them going forward."

Babar said he doesn't hesitate to consult with former captains Azhar Ali and Mohammad Rizwan before taking decisions on the field.

"If I feel I am stuck and need help, I reach out to Rizwan and Azhar," he said.

"It's not like I just impose myself, but I ask around, discuss and take their consent before making any decision."

It was only Pakistan’s second series victory against South Africa in 12 attempts, with the Proteas winning seven of them. It last beat South Africa in 2003, winning a home series 1-0.