Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq admitted his batsmen 'panicked' on Sunday, losing a number of wickets to allow South Africa an easy target to win the second Test in Cape Town, and thus win the series.

The Proteas won the match with a day to spare, by four wickets, as they needed only 182 to win after Pakistan's batting collapsed in the second innings. They were all out for 169 on day four, and the hosts made light work of the chase.

Spinner Robin Peterson started the collapse, bagging Misbah's wicket and then claiming two further victims, while Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn wrapped up the tail.

Misbah said: "Test cricket is all about sticking to the basics and spending time at the crease. When Robin Peterson was bowling over the stumps and into the rough, we panicked to score runs and made mistakes against him.

"So we need to address those things and try and form partnerships and bat like Test cricketers. We have to do that in the coming Test match."

Misbah felt that his dismissal in the second innings, after a half century stand with Azhar Ali, was crucial to the onset of the collapse, and had he stuck around then the lead may have been more substantial.

He said: "After I went out, the batting collapsed and that was a time when we should have just carried on. You could say that was the turning point of the game for us."

Despite two centuries and a 10-wicket haul, Pakistan still found themselves on the losing end, though Misbah was quick to praise spinner Saeed Ajmal's efforts. The Proteas were fairly clueless against him, though the other bowlers did not back him up.

The skipper added: "Ajmal is a world class bowler and he proved that again today against the top batsmen in the world. He took 10 wickets against South Africa, in South Africa, and that is a big achievement.

"We tried different things but none of the other bowlers could create pressure from the other end. Runs were just flying and, in the end, South Africa finished it off so quickly, scoring more than four runs an over."

As for the next match, which begins in Centurion on Friday, Misbah said they would have to work hard during the short break between games and hope they can avoid a whitewash by performing to their abilities.

He concluded: We know we're playing the No 1 Test team in the world, in their own conditions, so we have to just take it game by game. We must try and win the next game and try and put on a better show. That's the only thing we can do."