Pakistan Edges Out Proteas in Thrilling ODI Opener

In a dramatic, nail-biting finish that left players and fans on tenterhooks, the game was taken to the final over as Pakistan defeated South Africa by 2 wickets in Faisalabad.

For the sixth consecutive game across all formats on their tour of Pakistan, South Africa lost the toss and were sent in to bat as both teams met for the first of three One Day Internationals.

This was a landmark game for a number of reasons. It was the first men’s game hosted in Faisalabad for 17 years – Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first game as ODI captain – and the Proteas named three debutants, namely, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira, and Sinethemba Qeshile.

A few hours before the start of the game, South Africa were dealt a blow as batter Dewald Brevis was ruled out of the rest of the ODI series after sustaining a low-grade shoulder muscle strain during the third T20i in Lahore.

A strong opening stand of 98 by Pretorius and Quinton de Kock, where the run-rate was constantly around 6-an-over, set the foundation for a strong total.

With the openers looking relatively untroubled, it would take something special to change the host’s fortunes. Muhammad Nawaz provided that moment of brilliance as he put in a wonderful dive to his right to assist in dismissing Pretorius, who slashed at a Saim Ayub ball outside off, which only succeeded in finding the top edge.

With de Kock looking strong, maintaining the run-rate and playing himself back in form, he misjudged a Naseem Shah delivery that was angling in, only to get a slight edge onto the stumps.

With the scene nicely set for the middle-order to continue the good work, it was Ayub who inflicted more pain on South Africa – just six runs later, deceiving De Zorzi who played early and lobbed it back to the bowler.

Debutant Qeshile and Breetzke went about restoring the innings with a decent 44-run partnership before Qeshile top-edged to Fakhar Zaman for 22 off 23 balls – the highlight of his innings being his back-to-back fours off Afridi.

The next 37 runs saw the fall of four wickets as Ferreira and Linde went for 3 and 2 respectively, before Abrar Ahmed dismissed Breetzke and Bjorn Fortuin in consecutive deliveries. With Lungi Ngidi walking out to face the hat-trick ball, Abrar trapped him in front, at which point the umpire’s finger was raised; however, in a twist, a big inside edge was missed upon review. Hattrick rescinded.

The sight of Corbin Bosch at the wicket still gave South Africa hope that they could accelerate to a score close to, if not above, 300.

Bosch’s innings of 41 off 40 balls came to an end as he attempted to improvise a reverse-shot, but Afridi’s yorker was expertly delivered to damage the stumps.

Lizaad Williams added a solitary run as the Proteas were bundled out for 263 – well short of what they might have thought they would score considering the quality of the opening partnership.

SOUTH AFRICA – 263 ALL OUT

Pakistan’s innings took on a decidedly similar look to South Africa’s. An 87-run opening wicket partnership, 53 runs in the powerplay as opposed to the Proteas 62, and their 50 coming in 6 balls more, 59 to 53.

Like South Africa, as the openers looked to set their stall, the first wicket fell – Donovan Ferreira claiming his maiden ODI wicket, trapping Saim Ayub LBW for 39, following a review that Pakistan lost.

Babar Azam walked to the wicket, and the decibel levels increased when he played a gentle, yet eloquent drive off Ferreira, sending the ball to the boundary.

Ferreira added another scalp to his name, this time the other opener, Fakhar Zaman, who skipped out of his crease but could only pick out Fortuin at long-on. Like South Africa, Pakistan’s set openers were gone.

Jubilation knew no bounds among the visitors as Fortuin got one to skid and keep low, trapping Babar Azam plumb – two quick wickets and South Africa were right back in this game.

At 105/3, the contest hung in the balance, but a steady 91-run 4th wicket partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha swung the pendulum back in favour of Pakistan.

Corbin Bosch finally made a breakthrough when Rizwan attempted a flick but could only pick out Pretorius at deep backward square leg.

Hussain Talat joined Salman Agha at the wicket, and like the partnership that included Rizwan before, Pakistan looked fairly comfortable as they went about the chase with South Africa seemingly unable to apply enough pressure with the ball or from the field.

A cat was set amongst the pigeons when the Proteas picked up two quick wickets, though – Ngidi dismissed Talat following a wonderful catch by George Linde – and Hasan Nawaz was stumped by de Kock, Linde the bowler this time round.

Nerves were sent jangling among the Pakistani team and supporters when Salman Agha skied one off Ngidi and was caught by Ferreira, followed by Nawaz’s dismissal when victory was within his grasp.

In the end, though, the rabbit that needed to be pulled out of a hat for South Africa never truly materialised.

Pakistan continued their winning form from the T20I series into the ODI series as they won soundly in Faisalabad to take a 1-0 series lead.

For South Africa, they will have to produce a comeback in this series, similar to the one they were on the receiving end of in the T20I series.