Pakistan beat South Africa by 2 wickets in first ODI thriller

Web Desk | 5 days ago

Pakistan beat South Africa by 2 wickets in first ODI of the three-match series after a thrilling contest in Faisalabad. With this win, Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the series by successfully chasing a target of 264 runs in the final over of the match.

The match marked the return of international cricket to Faisalabad after 17 years. Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first against South Africa, hoping to restrict them to a manageable total under the lights.

Also Read: Naqvi Celebrates Return of International Cricket to Faisalabad

Batting first, South Africa scored 263 runs before being bowled out in 49.1 overs. The opening pair provided a solid start with a 98-run partnership. Pretorius scored 57 runs, while Quinton de Kock added 63. Captain Britz made 42, and Corbin Bosch contributed 41 runs. For Pakistan, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed took three wickets each, while Saim Ayub picked two, and Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz claimed one wicket each.

In reply, Pakistan chased down the target in 49.4 overs with eight wickets down. Salman Ali Agha top-scored with 62 runs, and Mohammad Rizwan made 55. Fakhar Zaman scored 45, and Saim Ayub added 39 crucial runs. South Africa’s Ferreira, Ngidi, and Bosch each took two wickets, but they could not stop Pakistan’s steady chase.

With this victory, Pakistan beat South Africa by 2 wickets in first ODI to go 1-0 up in the series. The second match will also be played in Faisalabad on Thursday. Notably, Shaheen Afridi captained Pakistan for the first time in One Day Internationals and called it a great honor to lead his country.