KARACHI (Kashmir English): Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha earned Pakistan a must-win against South Africa by six-wicket on Wednesday at the National Stadium in Karachi, making a resounding comeback in the tri-nation series.
Following today’s victory, the home team will face New Zealand in the final of the ongoing series in the same venue on February 14.
Chasing a mammoth 353-run target, the Green Shirts knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and six balls to spare, thanks to Agha and Rizwan’s record fourth-wicket partnership.
Pakistan’s ace opening batter Babar Azam struggled and was dismissed by Wiaan Mulder in the seventh over after scoring 23 off 19 deliveries.
Fakhar Zaman and Saud Shakeel made a brief partnership for the second wicket but both perished in quick succession, bringing the total down to 91/3 in 10.4 overs.
Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan then recorded the highest partnership for Pakistan in an ODI run chase, adding a record 260 runs for the fourth wicket. Agha top-scored for Pakistan with 134 off 103 deliveries, while Rizwan carried his bat through with an unbeaten 122 off 128 deliveries.
The visitor, after winning the toss, decided to bat first, which proved suitable for the side as the Proteas managed to score 352-5, led by fifties from Heinrich Klaasen, Matthew Breetzke, and captain Temba Bavuma.
Bavuma gave his team a decent start they wanted by forming a 51-run opening partnership with Tony de Zorzi (22).
Matthew Breetzke joined Bavuma at the crease after Shaheen Shah Afridi got de Zorzi and scored 119 runs for the second wicket, raising the team’s total to 170.
Bavuma got run out after hitting 13 boundaries and scoring 82 runs off 96 balls. Together, Heinrich Klaasen and Matthew Breetzke attacked the Pakistani bowlers, scoring 68 runs in 56 balls before the former was removed by Khushdil Shah.
Afridi was the standout bowler for Pakistan, picking up two wickets for 66 runs in his 10 overs, while Khushdil and Naseem Shah claimed one wicket each.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Tayyab Tahir, Salman Agha, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed.
South Africa: Matthew Breetzke, Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi.
