PAK Vs SA 3rd ODI: South Africa Succumb In Faisalabad As Ayub And Abrar Star For Pakistan To Seal First Home Series Win

Pakistan clinched the 3-match ODI series in style as South Africa succumbed in front of the bowling attack led by Shaheen Afridi, whose side bowled first after losing the toss.

When Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius got off to a good start, it didn't look like South Africa will crash out so bad. The duo added 72 runs for the opening wicket before Salman Agha removed Pretorius for 39 off 45.

15 runs later, Salman Agha struck again with the wicket of Tony de Zorzi (2 off 14) and at 106, de Kock was caught in front of the stumps by Mohammad Nawaz after a hard-earned 50.

Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed's excellent maiden over and tight bowling was rewarded with 3 quick wickets of Rubin Hermann (1), Donovan Ferreira (7) and Corbin Bosch (0), with South Africa reeling at 117/6.

Mohammad Nawaz returned for his spell and got Bjorn Fortuin for 3 with a another pinpoint lbw. Matthew Breetzke, who became Abrar Ahmed's 4th scalp, along with Nqaba Peter were the only exceptions to score 16 runs each.

Skipper Shaheen Afridi finished off with the last two wickets of Peter and Lungi Ngidi.

In response, Pakistan lost Fakhar Zaman for a duck off Ngidi, but Saim Ayub and Babar Azam laid the initial foundation with their partnership of 65 runs before the latter lost his wicket to Bjorn Fortuin for 27 off 32.

Saim Ayub continued his terrific start with Mohammad Rizwan, smashing 77 of 70 with 11 fours and a six and left the crease at a time when Pakistan needed just 10 for the win.

The hosts then won the match and sealed the series 2-1, which also marks their maiden ODI series win over South Africans on home soil.

South Africa will now take a short trip to India for what is going to be a massive and exhausting all-format series with 2 Tests, 3 ODIs and 5 T20Is.

Up next for Pakistan is a 3-match ODI series against Sri Lanka before a T20 tri-series for the two, featuring Zimbabwe as the 3rd team.

Pakistan Vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Playing XIs

South Africa: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke (c), Donovan Ferreira, Rubin Hermann, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Lungi Ngidi, Nandre Burger, Nqabayomzi Peter

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi (c), Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf

Pakistan Vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Ball-By-Ball Commentary

The hosts had won the opener by a slender two-wicket margin, but the visitors drew level in the second game. Quinton de Kock's first hundred since his South Africa comeback led the Proteas to an eight-wicket victory, as they chased down a 270-run target with 59 balls to spare.

This is the third consecutive ODI match at the same venue after international cricket returned to Faisalabad post a 17-year absence.

Pakistan Vs South Africa, 3rd ODI: Squads

South Africa: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke (c), Sinethemba Qeshile, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Nandre Burger, Nqabayomzi Peter, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman, Rubin Hermann

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi (c), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz