Pakistan 308 for 9 (Ayub 101, Rizwan 53, Babar 52) beat South Africa 271 (Klaasen 81, Bosch 40*, Muqeem 4-52) by 36 runs (DLS)
The loss means South Africa have won only one out of three ODI series this year, after also losing to Afghanistan in Sharjah, and two out of six ODI series under white-ball coach Rob Walter, who took over in February 2023. Pakistan, on the other hand, completed a fifth successive bilateral series win after beating New Zealand, Afghanistan, Australia and Zimbabwe.
After opting to bowl first in overcast conditions, South Africa were unable to maximise their chances, despite Kagiso Rabada beating the edge several times early on, and then struggled with their disciplines later on. Bjorn Fortuin and Aiden Markam bowled 13 overs of spin between them at a collective economy of 5.6 to the over but the seamers were costly. Marco Jansen’s nine overs cost 58 runs while Bosch and Kwena Maphaka, in his second ODI and first on his home ground, bowled 15 overs between them for 119 runs and picked up a wicket apiece.
Things started well for South Africa when Abdullah Shafique edged Rabada to second slip to register his third successive duck of the series. All Shafique’s dismissals have come nicking off, which South Africa will remember ahead of next week’s Test. Play only continued for another 17 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 cut Jansen to point. Fortuin leapt to his right but got his hands in the wrong position and dropped the chance. Babar was on 10, and would take some time to get into his rhythm. Instead, It was Ayub who took South Africa on with two drives off a Rabada over in the “v” and then two pull shots off Jansen to end the Powerplay with Pakistan on 42 for 1.
Maphaka was expensive in his first spell which lasted only two overs and cost 17 runs but Bosch immediately showed his potential with deliveries above 140kph. Ayub inside-edged one of his deliveries onto his box but no major damage was done and he brought up 50 off 54 balls. Maphaka returned from the other end and initially Babar had the better of him but the 18-year old had the final say. He hit Babar on the bottom hand and then tempted him with a short ball that Babar sent straight to David Miller and short 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 only 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 in an 18-run over. Runs kept coming in boundaries for Ayub and he hit four fours and a six in the next seven balls to gallop into the 90s. He reached his century off 91 balls, in the 34th over, with Pakistan 199 for 2.
Ayub became Bosch’s first international wicket when he gloved him down leg to Klaasen but left them in a good position. By then, Rizwan was on 45 off 44 balls and joined by big-hitting Kamran Ghulam. He could not repeat his antics from Newlands, where he smashed a 32-ball 63, but tried. He sliced Fortuin high above cover and was caught by Temba Bavuma.
Rizwan got to 50 off 48 balls but then top-edged Fortuin to short third to give him a second. Fortuin was one of two bowlers to deliver 10 overs and finished with 2 for 56. Rabada was the other and struck late in 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-hitting from being fruitful at the end but Salman and Tayyab had already done major damage. They hit five fours and three sixes in 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 a side. Pakistan were 10 for 1 when the rain began and South Africa’s target was adjusted, so they had to chase 308. At 212 for 7, it looked like that was only mathematical but Bosch’s 40 and run-a-ball stands of 38 and 21 for the eighth and ninth wickets 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 reply started strongly and they were 24 after three overs before Bavuma played Naseem Shah to Ayub at point. This is the second time in the series Bavuma has taken his right hand off the handle as he played a shot, which may concern South Africa ahead of the Tests. Bavuma has only just regained fitness after a left elbow injury.
Tony de Zorzi looked dangerous on the drive and the pull but was bounced out by Afridi. Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen took South Africa to 15 overs on 80 for 2 before Markram gifted his wicket to Muqeem’s first ball. Markram hit a filthy short ball straight to deep mid-wicket to leave South Africa in trouble even before enough overs had been bowled to call it a game.
Klaasen walked in to light rain and the DLS par score of 136 in 20 overs hanging over him and got to work. He took on Muqeem, who bowled too flat and too short, but van der Dussen’s dismissal on the penultimate ball of the 20th over pegged South Africa back. Van der Dussen was out lbw to Mohammad Hasnain for 35, making it his 10th completed innings without an ODI half-century.
David Miller might have been South Africa’s last hope but Rizwan anticipated his lap-sweep off Ayub and was ready to take the catch at a leg slip position. South Africa were 123 for 5 and not even Klaasen’s lone hand could get them over the line. He reached fifty off 29 balls, smashed Afridi for four fours in an over and 10 runs off three balls in his next over before hitting him to deep square leg and all but ending South Africa’s fight. Bosch proved his worth as a lower-order hitter but ran out of partners to bat out the overs. Rabada and Maphaka were dismissed in successive balls to give Muqeem his 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
