The third and final One Day International between South Africa and Pakistan concluded with a disappointing finish.
In a decisive match with the series tied at one-all, South Africa faced an unexpected setback. Winning the toss, they opted to bat first, a decision that proved detrimental as they struggled on a challenging Faisalabad wicket.
The opening partnership of Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius contributed a solid 72 runs before Pretorius fell to Salman Agha. South Africa soon faced further adversity, losing de Zock for 53 runs as the innings spiraled downwards.
A remarkable milestone was reached by de Kock, becoming the second fastest player to score 7000 ODI runs, only behind Hashim Amla. However, the highlight of the match was Abrar Ahmed's impressive performance, claiming four wickets and dismantling the middle order, leading South Africa to collapse for just 143 runs.
The Pakistani team responded confidently, overcoming an early dismissal of Fakhar Zaman. Despite some early caution, they quickly accelerated their scoring rate and comfortably chased down the target, clinching victory by 7 wickets.
This win marked Pakistan's first home ODI series triumph over South Africa and allowed captain Shaheen Shah Afridi to savor his first series win in this format. Meanwhile, South Africa looks to regroup as they prepare for their upcoming tour of India.
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