ODI series between South Africa and Pakistan met its historical connotation at the time of finality for men like Mohammad Rizwan, as their visitors completed an unprecedented clean sweep of 3-0. Never before had South Africa incurred such home loss, since it first featured in an official ODI series back in 1991. Yet, Rizwan’s men couldn’t slow down after they had already acquired an impregnable 2-0 lead in the series. Then in the final ODI, at Johannesburg, Pakistan met the fifth requirement with another all-round contest to etch their name in a historical record book.
In their third ODI, a century filled with shots from Saim Ayub with left-handed aggression and a great spell of bowling from spinner Sufiyan Muqeem and pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah powered Pakistan to clean sweep its historic series win over South Africa with a win of 36 runs.
South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. Ayub continued his welcome form at the international level, particularly in ODIs. He compiled his second hundred of the series (101 from 94 balls, with 13 fours and two sixes) while also taking 1/34 with the ball as he collaborated with four other wicket takers in the performance closure.
Pakistan started shakily, put in by bat-toppings by the opener Abdullah Shafique-first ball duck. Saim and the ICC’s top-ranked ODI batter Babar Azam steadied the innings, putting on a commanding 115-run partnership.
This laid a good foundation for skipper Mohammad Rizwan to build on, taking off well with 53 off 52(five fours and a six) and forming a resilient 93-run stand with Ayub following as Babar’s impressive 52 came to an end after 71 balls, laced with seven fours.
At last, it took a great delivery from Corbin Bosch to snatch jaw-dropping third ODI hundred from Ayub as he edged it to Heinrich Klaasen behind the wicket, while contributions from Salman Agha (48 in 33 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Tayyab Tahir (28 in 24 balls, with two fours and a six) lifted Pakistan to a competitive total of 308/9.
Kagiso Rabada was the most successful among the Proteas’ bowlers with figures of 3 for 56 in 10 overs.
Aiden dropped early, scoring 24 even without an opening partnership, and then hasty Naseem Shah (2/63) accounts for Temba Bavuma (8), who was collected by Saim at point.
They both set about rebuilding things after the loss of Tony de Zorzi (26 in 23 balls, with two fours and two sixes), but Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen (35 in 52 balls, with four boundaries and a six) then lost Aiden Markram (19 in 26 balls, with three fours) to one of Muqeem’s four wickets.
Klaasen’s effort of 81 runs in 43 balls was supplemented by 2 sixes, and this served as a dramatic countermeasure after the dismissals of Rassie and David Miller with a 71-run partnership with Marco Jansen before having been caught by Shaheen (2/70).
Muqeem (4/52 off eight) wickets also included the counter-attacking Jansen (26 scored from 23 balls with two fours and two sixes), before returning to clean up the Proteas tail at the 42-over mark for 271 runs to round off the victory.
He took home the ‘Player of the Match’ and ‘Player of the Series’ awards as well.
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