By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Pakistan charged to victory in the Pink Day game at the Wanderers on Sunday night, wrapping up a 3-0 clean sweep in the three-match one-day international (ODI) series against South Africa.
In a rain-disrupted match, the tourists earned a 36-run win on the Duckworth Lewis (DLS) method.
Set a slightly adjusted target of 308 runs to win, the Proteas top order were unable to kick on after some of them got off to starts, and they found themselves struggling at 123/5 in the 21st over of their innings.
Pakistan started shakily after opener Abdullah Shafique was dismissed facing his first ball. Saim and the ICC’s top-ranked ODI batter Babar Azam steadied the innings, putting on a commanding 115-run partnership.
Babar’s impressive 52-run knock came to an end, and gave a platform for skipper Mohammad Rizwan to build on, hitting the ground running with 53 off 52 and forming a resilient 93-run stand with Ayub.
Ayub’s scintillating third ODI century was cut short when Corbin Bosch’s clever delivery forced an edge to Heinrich Klaasen behind the stumps, with late contributions from Salman Agha and Tayyab Tahir lifted Pakistan to a competitive total of 308/9.
Despite a quick start in reply, racing to 24/0 in the first three overs, Pakistan struck through quick Naseem Shah, as Temba Bavuma picked out Saim at point.
Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen set about in a rebuild following the loss of Tony de Zorzi (26), only for Markram to fall as one of Sufiyan Muqeem’s four wickets (19).
Muqeem (4/52 off eight overs) also removed the counter-attacking Marco Jansen (26 off 22 balls), before returing to clean up the Proteas tail at the 42-over mark to complete the victory.
The result closed out a near-perfect series for Pakistan. In the first ODI at Paarl, South Africa managed 239/9, anchored by Heinrich Klaasen’s solid 86. Pakistan’s Salman Agha delivered a standout performance with the ball, claiming 4/32 to stifle the Proteas’ momentum.
The Proteas made two changes from the team that lost in Cape Town, with Kagiso Rabada coming in and Corbin Bosch also making his ODI debut.
Tabraiz Shamsi and Andile Phehlukwayo missed out.
Pakistan made three changes with Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Hasnain and Sufiyaan Muqeem coming in for Irfan Khan, Abrar Ahmed and Haris Rauf.
Teams:
South Africa
Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (captain), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Kwena Maphaka
Pakistan
Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wicketkeeper), Salman Ali, Kamran Ghulam, Tayyab Tahir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Sufiyaan Muqeem.