Faisalabad, November 8 (Udaipur Kiran): Pakistan sealed a convincing 7-wicket victory over South Africa in the third and final ODI at the Iqbal Cricket Stadium, Faisalabad, to win the three-match home series 2–1.
After winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first and got off to a solid start with openers Pretorius and Quinton de Kock putting up a 72-run stand for the first wicket. Pretorius scored 39 runs off 45 balls, while de Kock continued his fine form with a 53-run knock off 70 balls. However, after their dismissals, South Africa’s innings collapsed dramatically, with the entire team being bowled out for 143 runs in 37.5 overs.
Pakistan’s spinners dominated the game, with Abrar Ahmed delivering a brilliant spell of 4 wickets for just 27 runs in 10 overs. Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Nawaz took two wickets each, while captain Shaheen Afridi also chipped in with two wickets.
Chasing a modest target of 144, Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman for a duck early on. However, Saim Ayub and Babar Azam steadied the innings with a 65-run partnership for the second wicket. Babar scored 27 runs off 32 balls before being run out, while Ayub played a match-winning knock of 77 runs off 70 balls, hitting 11 fours and a six.
Mohammad Rizwan (32 not out) and Salman Ali Agha (5 not out) guided Pakistan to victory in 25.1 overs, sealing the series win.
Abrar Ahmed was named Player of the Match for his superb bowling performance, while South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock received the Player of the Series award.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
