SA vs PAK | 3rd ODI: Clinical Pakistan too powerful for depleted Proteas, clinch ODI series 2-1

Pakistan defended the target of 321 runs in the third and final ODI of the series against South Africa to clinch the series 2-1. The men in green became only the second side after Australia to have won an ODI series twice in the rainbow nation.

Chasing a steep target, South Africa were off to an impressive start as the pair of Janneman Malan and Aiden Markram looked in fluent touch. The former looked at absolute ease against the pace of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali with the new balls. 

The tourists failed to strike big early but had enough depth in the bowling attack to keep control over the depleted South African side that made as many as seven changes in the side from the last game. The hosts were marred with the absence of players who have gone for the IPL and the injury-enforced absence of Russie van der Dussen.

From 72 for no loss, South Africa suffered a collapse in the middle phase at the hands of debutant leg spinner Usman Qadir and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz. Qadir finished with one wicket while Nawaz was more successful with the ball and scalped three big wickets of Malan, skipper Temba Bavuma and Heinrich Klassen in the middle overs.

South Africa’s future appeared doomed when Klasse walked back to the pavilion just after the halfway stage. However, the pair of Andile Phehlukwayo and Kyle Verreynne had other ideas. 

The duo started punishing Pakistani bowlers for their rare inaccuracies and hosts breathed a sigh of relief. They added 108 run partnership to put Proteas on the track to chase down, but having all specialist batsmen already back in the pavilion made their case shaky. 

In the end, all of the firepower the duo showed and crisp innings by Malan failed to match up to the batting might of Pakistan in the all-important series decider.

They could well have committed a blunder of allowing Pakistan to bat them out of the game on a flat pitch, especially the in-form batting line up.

Having got the opportunity to make the best use of the pitch, Pakistan had the arsenal in Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq to take a full toll on the hosts bowling. Skipper Bavuma missed the duo of Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje with the new ball and he pulled a rabbit out of his hat and introduced the off-spin of Aiden Markram with the new ball.

Pitch was supposed to assist spinners and with the openers being left-handed, Bavuma’s call of bringing Markram was not way off the mark. However, he could trouble none of the openers and Lutho Sipamla joined Beuran Hendricks very soon.

Pakistan opted for a safety approach first before Zaman started opening up his shoulders. He was in supreme form and it seemed he took off right from the contentious run out of the last game. He brought a consecutive century on the back of three consecutive fours off Sipamla to earn the Man of the Series title after the end of the game.

Pakistan’s progress was hurt by Keshav Maharaj’s left-arm spin as he accounted for both Imam and Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan in his first eight overs. However, Pakistan had a good enough foundation to launch an onslaught to build a near improbable target for the hosts.

Babar Azam’s lack of intent enlarged fans on social media and could well have hurt Pakistan’s chances but South Africa’s bowling was mediocre even against Hasan Ali. The right-hander walked out to bat in the 46th over with Pakistan’s innings going nowhere and came out all guns blazing with an 11 ball-32 cameo to put Pakistan in the driving seat. At the other end, Babar Azam paid the price of not going for expansive shots and finished the innings at 94 on the final ball of the innings.

Pakistan’s head coach had spoken highly of Pakistan batsmen feeling confident about batting on true pitches in South Africa and all of them, especially Fkhar Zaman justified the bullish expectations of his coach with two centuries.

The series provided South Africa with another stern reminder about the state of the game in the country and things have not started off at a pleasing note for the newly appointed skipper Temba Bavuma, who is likely to sit out for a lengthy period of time due to hamstring injury.