Pakistan clinch victory by 3 wickets in nail-biting first ODI against South Africa

Saim Ayub scored a ton while Salman Agha was named Man of the Match for his unbeaten 82 and four-wicket haul

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A brilliant century from Saim Ayub and an all-round performance from Agha Salman guided Pakistan to a thrilling 3-wicket victory over South Africa in the first ODI at the Boland Park Stadium in the South African town of Paarl, leading the three-match series 1-0.

Chasing a modest target, Pakistan's pursuit got off to a rocky start as Marco Jansen dismissed Abdullah Shafique for a duck, rattling his stumps with a sharp delivery. The early setback put Pakistan on the back foot, but Babar Azam came in to steady the ship.

 

 

 

 

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Azam and Ayub put together a partnership of 44 runs before Baartman struck, removing Babar for 23 off 38 balls. Pakistan's chase suffered another blow when Captain Muhammad Rizwan was undone by a sharp delivery from Baartman, leaving Pakistan at 60 for 3.

The situation grew more tense when a communication breakdown between Kamran Ghulam and Ayub led to a mix-up, leaving Pakistan four wickets down with just 60 runs on the board.

With almost 180 runs required, the partnership between Saim and Agha Salman proved decisive. The two added 141 runs for the fifth wicket, with Saim playing a dominant role.

He scored a brilliant 109 off 112 balls, including 10 fours and 3 sixes, bringing Pakistan into a commanding position. However, his dismissal off Kagiso Rabada left Pakistan still needing 39 runs from 52 balls.

 

 

 

 

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Rabada struck again soon after, dismissing Irfan Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi without scoring. But with 31 runs still required, Salman took charge. He steered Pakistan to victory with a composed unbeaten 82, which included four fours and two towering sixes.

Pakistan managed to chase down the target with three balls to spare, securing a hard-fought win.

Salman was named the Man of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance, which included an unbeaten 82 and a four-wicket haul earlier in the game.

Earlier, South African captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat first.

The decision to bat first initially paid off as openers Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickleton provided a solid start with a partnership of 70 runs in the first powerplay.

 

 

 

 

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However, just as the Proteas looked set to capitalise on the strong start, Pakistan’s spinner Agha Salman turned the game in his side’s favour. Salman claimed four wickets in just three overs, leaving South Africa reeling at 88 for 4.

Zorzi, who had made 33, was the first to fall, caught in front of the stumps. Rickleton, who had made 36 off 38 balls, was then bowled out by Salman after attempting a cut shot. Salman continued his dominance in the 14th over, dismissing both Rassie van der Dussen and Tristan Stubbs for ducks, as South Africa lost four wickets for just 18 runs.

 

 

 

 

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At a critical juncture, Markram (35) was joined by Klaasen, and the pair managed to steady the ship. Together, they put on a 73-run partnership that revived the Proteas' hopes of setting a challenging total.

Klaasen’s 86, combined with Markram's 35, guided South Africa to a total of 239/9 in their allotted 50 overs. Agha Salman delivered a career-best performance, claiming 4/32, while Abrar Ahmed also took 2 wickets.

Pakistan now requires 240 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

 

 

 

 

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The ODI series holds a lot of significance for both the teams as they look to fine tune their preparations for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in February and March 2025 in Pakistan.

The second and third fixture of the series will be played at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town and The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on 17 and 19 December, respectively.

Playing XI:

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (C/WK), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed

South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram(C), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen(wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Tabraiz Shamsi

Schedule of matches:

17 Dec – 1st ODI vs South Africa at Boland Bank Park, Paarl (5pm PST)

19 Dec – 2nd ODI vs South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town (5pm PST)

22 Dec – 3rd ODI vs South Africa at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (5pm PST)