Pakistan achieved a remarkable victory in a cricket match, successfully chasing down the run target for the first time in an ODI match against South Africa.
Led by Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha, they went beyond their previous record for the highest successful run chase. They won the match by six wickets, earning their first victory in the ongoing tournament. This triumph qualifies them for the final of the tri-series scheduled for February 14.
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The team began their run-chase positively, as Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman quickly put on 50 runs for the first wicket before Azam got out after scoring 39 runs off 42 balls. In addition to the aggressive bottom Zaman’s attack, the left-hander had been roughing up Bosch, whom he hit for 25 runs in two overs. Zaman in particular was aggressive during this period as he set the tone for the run-chase by scoring 19 off the first Corbin Bosch over. When Azam was dismissed, the team had created an aggressive start scoring 41 runs in the first 5 overs.
Despite Zaman’s aggressive batting, South African bowlers were able to take wickets at regular intervals which enabled them to restrict the Pakistan team to 91 for 3 by the 11 th over. Saud Shakeel was dismissed at deep mid wicket, Zaman got out caught behind off the gloves, Turner combined and Mukherji turned well behind the stumps. Nevertheless, Zaman’s bat’s brisk start offered Agha and Rizwan enough time to settle in, which allowed the team to chase down the target comfortably.
Although Rizwan got off to a good start by elegantly executing a boundary on the first ball, he quickly shifted to a more reserved strategy. Agha and Rizwan relied more on changing the strike between them and were well under the required run rate by the time they got to the half-century mark.
Pressing the accelerator in the boundaries started to flow freely, and one could see the intent beginning in the 29th over when, Rizwan first slog between the mid and long on and than hit the ball over mid-off for back-to-back sixes. Even as Agha seemed more relaxed during his innings, he too had his moments with the bat and struck some crisp shots off the up. As the partnership reached larger numbers, the rate at which boundaries were struck for those runs also accelerated. Runs came at an increasingly rapid pace, and the bowlers appeared far less intimidating.
Pulling Wiaan Mulder for a six helped come Rizwan’s century, but he secured it with a pull. He was roughly three balls away from marking his ODI goals before Agha got the mark with a single, which was during his maiden ODI ton. For the fourth wicket, this pair added a monumental 260 together. Before Agha’s innings came to an end, he was came two runs short of the target and got Agha out. The formality was completed by Tayyab Tahir as he hit the boundary with the first ball he faced helping Pakistan seal the game with an over to spare.
Earlier in the day, South Africa’s 352 for 5 was bolstered by half centuries from Temba Bavuma, Matthew Breetzke, and Heinrich Klaasen. The visitors opted to bat first and scored 51 runs by the 8th over, losing their first wicket in the process. Toni De Zorzi’s edge was superbly taken by Agha At slips who dived full stretch. This was the first of the two phenomenal catches he had taken.
The second one was scored much delayed towards the end of the last over, when Agha, who was diving to his right, caught Breetzke’s cover drive, which was on the up. It is worth noting that before Agha got to two catches he already had, South Africa had built a solid platform with Bavuma and Breetzke combining for a partnership of 119 runs with the latter making 68 in partnership with Klaasen, who also scored.
In a game where bowlers did not have much support, South Africa’s innings was well placed. Bavuma managed to steer a constant flow of runs and make boundaries without much risk. With the intent to score, Breetzke’s was much more aggressive. Every few moments he charged at the bowlers, knocked them off their lengths, and then really capitalized.
The boundaries kept flowing with no hold up, as he trotted along with the rest of the team at almost a jogging pace. In the same manner like Breetzke’s innings later, the bowler in question had little to no impact when Bavuma’s innings was finished too, albeit without a bowler in contention. He set off for a single when cutting the ball to backward point, but Breetzke stopped taking the run, so he was left mid pitch. This particular wicket sparked obnoxious celebrations from the Pakistan players, so much so that the umpires were forced to intervene and caution the captain.
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While Breetzke maintained his rhythm, Klaasen went berserk on Mohammad Hasnain in the 34 over hitting three fours off him. Then, he scored two more boundaries off Naseem Shah and then it was time for Breetzke to get out. Even though two established batsmen were out, the groundwork was laid for some fireworks later and Klaassen enjoyed it along with Kyle Verreynne.
The fiercest of the batting assaults was reserved for Shaheen Afridi, whose 46th over went for 20 unearned runs. Hasnain came under the last over of the innings as well. Corbin Bosch hit him for a four and a six as the last over was being bowled. Everything was simple in the game where more than 700 runs were made, but it looked as though South Africa turned on the foot too late.
Brief scores: South Africa 353/5 in 50 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 87, Matthew Breetzke 83, Temba Bavuma 82; Shaheen Afridi 2-66) lost to Pakistan 355/4 in 49 overs (Salman Agha 134, Mohammad Rizwan 122*; Wiaan Mulder 2-79) by 6 wickets