Pakistan vs South Africa ODI – A Historic Chase by Pakistan
The ongoing Tri-Nation Series in Pakistan witnessed an exciting One Day International (ODI) match between Pakistan and South Africa on Wednesday. South Africa batted first and set a formidable total of 352/5 in their 50 overs.
Heinrich Klaasen was the star of the innings, playing a stunning knock of 87 off 56 balls, making him the highest scorer for South Africa. Breetzke followed closely with 83 off 84 balls, while skipper Temba Bavuma contributed a solid 82 off 96 balls. Kyle Verreynne also played a crucial role, remaining unbeaten on 44 off 32 balls.
Pakistan’s Bowling Struggles
Pakistan’s bowlers had a tough day. Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled 10 overs, conceding 66 runs and picking up just two wickets. Khushdil Shah managed to take one wicket while giving away 39 runs in 7 overs. Naseem Shah had an expensive spell, conceding 68 runs in 10 overs, with only one wicket to his name.
Pakistan’s Record-Breaking Chase
Chasing 353 in 50 overs, Pakistan got off to a promising start. However, an early setback saw Babar Azam dismissed for just 23 runs, leaving Pakistan at 57/1. Soon after, Khushdil Shah fell, and the team found itself at 87/2 in 9.4 overs. The situation worsened when Fakhar Zaman departed, reducing Pakistan to 91/3, making the chase seem difficult.
But what happened next was nothing short of extraordinary.
Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha took control and stitched together a historic partnership of 260 runs—the highest-ever partnership while chasing in ODIs for Pakistan. Salman Agha smashed his maiden century, scoring 134 off 103 balls, before getting out with Pakistan just two runs away from victory. Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on 122, guiding Pakistan to a sensational 6-wicket win.
A New Record for Pakistan
This successful chase of 353 runs is now the highest run-chase in Pakistan’s ODI history. With this victory, Pakistan has secured a place in the Tri-Nation Series final against New Zealand on Friday.
Stay tuned for more thrilling cricket action!