Pakistan 308 for 9 (Ayub 101, Rizwan 53, Babar 52) won South Africa 271 (Klaasen 81, Bosch 40*, Muqeem 4-52) by 36 runs (DLS)
The defeat means South Africa have won just one of three ODI series this year, after also losing to Afghanistan in Sharjah, and two of six ODI series under white-ball coach Rob Walter, who took over in February 2023. Pakistan, on the other hand, completed its fifth consecutive victory in bilateral series after beating New Zealand, Afghanistan, Australia and Zimbabwe.
After opting to bowl first in overcast conditions, South Africa were unable to maximize their chances, despite Kagiso Rabada getting over the boundary several times early on, and then struggling with his disciplines later on. Bjorn Fortuin and Aiden Markam bowled 13 spin overs between them at a collective economy of 5.6 per over, but the seamers were costly. Marco Jansen’s nine overs cost 58 runs, while Bosch and Kwena Maphaka, in their second ODI and first at home, bowled 15 overs between them for 119 runs and took one wicket each.
Things started well for South Africa when Abdullah Shafique edged Rabada at second slip to register his third consecutive duck of the series. All of Shafique’s dismissals have come to an end, something South Africa will remember ahead of next week’s Test. Play only continued for 17 more deliveries before rain kept the players off the field for an hour and a quarter.
Pakistan could have lost Babar 14 balls after the restart, when he clipped Marco Jansen to aim. Bjorn Fortuin jumped to his right but put his hands in the wrong position and missed the opportunity. Babar was on 10 and it would take some time for him to get into his rhythm. Instead, it was Ayub who took on South Africa with two drives from Rabada in the ‘v’ and then two shots from Jansen to finish the Powerplay with Pakistan at 42 for 1.
Maphaka was expensive in his first spell, which lasted just two overs and cost 17 runs, but Bosch immediately showed his potential with deliveries in excess of 140 km/h. Ayub got one of his deliveries into his crease, but suffered no major damage and scored 50 off 54 balls. Maphaka came back at the other end and Babar initially had the better of him, but the 18-year-old had the last word. He hit Babar on the bottom hand and then tempted him with a short ball which Babar sent straight to David Miller and short to mid-wicket. This year will be the first since Babar made his debut in 2015 that he will not score an ODI hundred.
Pakistan were 115 for 2 after 23 overs and added just six runs in the next three overs as Fortuin led the squeeze. The pressure was released when Ayub smoked Maphaka through the covers, fine leg and long off for a run of 18. The runs continued to come in boundaries for Ayub and he hit four fours and a six in the next seven balls to gallop to the 90s. He reached his century off 91 balls, in the 34th over with Pakistan 199 for 2 after 34 overs.
Ayub became Bosch’s first international wicket when he passed the gauntlet to Heinrich Klaasen, but it left them in a good position. By then, Rizwan was on 45 off 44 balls and was joined by big batsman Kamran Ghulam. He couldn’t repeat his Newlands antics, where he hit a 32-ball 63, but he tried. He clipped Fortuin well over cover and was caught by Temba Bavuma.
Rizwan reached 50 off 48 balls but then edged Fortuin to short third to give him a second. Fortuin was one of two players to take 10 overs and finished with 2 for 56. Rabada was the other and struck at the end of his final spell when he removed Salman and Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive deliveries to take 3 for 56. South Africa took four wickets in five balls for five runs to prevent some big knocks from coming to fruition in the end, but Salman and Tayyab had already done significant damage. They hit five fours and three sixes during their time together.
Pakistan’s innings was delayed by 15 minutes and interrupted by rain after 3.1 overs. The 75-minute break meant the match was reduced to 47 overs per team. Pakistan were 10 for 1 when the rain started and South Africa’s target was adjusted, so they had to chase 308. At 212 for 7, it seemed like that was just math, but Bosch’s 40 and the run-a-ball represent 38 and 21 for the eighth and ninth wicket kept them in it. They were bowled out for 271 in 42 overs.
It was always going to be a tough chase but South Africa’s response started strongly and they were 24 after three overs before Bavuma pitted Naseem Shah against Ayub at point. This is the second time in the series that Bavuma has removed his right hand from the handle while playing a shot, which may worry South Africa ahead of the Tests. Bavuma has just returned to fitness after a left elbow injury.
Zorzi’s Tony looked dangerous in the drive and pull but was denied by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen took South Africa to 15 overs at 80 for 2 before Markram gave away his wicket to Muqeem’s first ball. Markram hit a foul short ball straight to mid-wicket to leave South Africa in trouble even before enough overs had been bowled to call it a game.
Klaasen came in in light rain with the DLS par score of 136 in 20 overs looming over him and he set to work. He faced Muqeem, who bowled too flat and too short, but Rassie van der Dussen’s dismissal on the penultimate ball of the 20th over set South Africa back. Van der Dussen was out against Mohammad Hasnain for 35, making it his 10th complete innings without an ODI in a half-century.
David Miller could have been South Africa’s last hope but Rizwan anticipated his return sweep off Ayub and was ready to trap him in a leg-slip position. South Africa scored 123 for 5 and not even Klaasen’s single hand could get past the target. He reached a fifty off 29 balls, smashed Shaheen Shah for four fours in one over and 10 runs off three balls in his next over before hitting him at deep square leg and almost ending South Africa’s fight. Bosch proved his worth as a lower order batsman but was left without partners to get through the overs. Rabada and Maphaka were dismissed in successive balls to give Muqeem their four fer and South Africa many questions ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
