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Pakistan pull off dramatic win as Rizwan and Salman shine in 1st ODI vs South Africa

Jatin

Pakistan defeated South Africa by 2 wickets [Source: @SALEHAYUB3/x.com]Pakistan defeated South Africa by 2 wickets [Source: @SALEHAYUB3/x.com]

Pakistan made hard work of what should have been a straightforward chase. Needing 264 in the first ODI against South Afirca at the Iqbal Stadium Africain Faisalabad, the hosts looked in cruise control for most of the innings before nearly bottling it in the final few overs.

However, Agha Salman and Mohammad Rizwan’s calm heads helped them get home, but not before the crowd had their hearts in their mouths. Here’s a look at the PAK vs SA 1st ODI highlights.

South Africa set a tricky total

Put in to bat first, South Africa got off to a steady start as young Lhuan-dre Pretorius and veteran Quinton de Kock stitched together a fluent 98-run stand. Pretorius, in particular, was a treat to watch with crisp drives and clever placement. He made 57 off 60 before Saim Ayub’s off-spin broke through.

De Kock kept the scoreboard ticking with his typical elegance, making 63 off 71 but once he fell to Naseem Shah, the innings began to wobble. Matthew Breetzke (42) tried to anchor the middle overs but Abrar Ahmed and Naseem struck in tandem to keep Pakistan ahead.

Corbin Bosch’s quick 41 off 40 at the death gave South Africa a late lift, taking them to a respectable 263 before they were bowled out in the final over. Abrar (3/53) and Naseem (3/40) were the pick of the bowlers while Saim Ayub’s handy spell of 2/39 proved crucial in breaking partnerships.

Rizwan and Salman steady the ship

Chasing 264, Pakistan began brightly through Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, who added 87 for the first wicket. Both looked set before Donovan Ferreira turned the tide with two quick wickets, first Saim (39), then Fakhar (45). Suddenly, when Babar Azam fell cheaply for 7, the stadium went quiet.

That is when Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman stepped up. The duo rebuilt calmly as they put together a 91-run stand that steadied the chase. Rizwan played the anchor’s role, scoring a composed 55 off 74 balls while Salman was fluent and confident, cracking 62 off 71 with five boundaries and a six.

Nervy finish for Pakistan

At 241/5, Pakistan looked set for an easy win, but things got shaky fast. Hussain Talat holed out, Hasan Nawaz was stumped and Salman departed soon after. Suddenly, from a canter, Pakistan were in a crawl, losing 4 wickets for 22 runs.

With 12 needed off the final 10 balls, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah held their nerve, sneaking Pakistan home in 49.4 overs. It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough to seal a nail-biting win and go 1-0 up in the series.

Pakistan will breathe a sigh of relief after almost throwing away a comfortable chase. Their top order fired, but the middle-order collapse will worry the management. South Africa, on the other hand, will feel they let a golden chance slip away after pushing the game to the final over despite a modest total.