Salman, Rizwan half-Centuries power Pakistan to ODI win over South Africa

FAISALABAD: Pakistan clinched victory against South Africa in the first match of the three-match ODI series by two wickets. Salman Ali Agha and Muhammad Rizwan played a vital role in the victory by scoring half-centuries, ARY News reported.

Pakistan have chased the biggest target of ODI history at the Faisalabad stadium.

Pakistan met the target on the fourth ball of the last over after losing eight wickets.

Salman Ali Agha has been declared the man of the match for a splendid score of 62 runs off 71 balls. Whereas former skipper Muhammad Rizwan also played well, scoring 55 runs.

Openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman built a strong opening partnership of 87 runs. Saim Ayub was the first to be dismissed, leg before wicket (LBW) to Donovan Ferreira, after scoring 39.

Fakhar Zaman followed soon after, bowled by Ferreira for 45. Babar Azam again struggled, scoring just 7 runs.

Hussain Talat (22), Mohammad Nawaz (7), and Hasan Nawaz could manage only a single run each before being dismissed.

A valiant effort with the bat from Corbin Bosch at the tail-end of the innings lifted South Africa to 263 in the first ODI against Pakistan in Faisalabad.

The Proteas were bowled out in 49.1 overs, thanks to three wickets each from Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed.

Pretorius, particularly, took pacers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi to cleaners with a flurry of boundaries. As a result, the visitors were 62 at the end of the power play.

The stand eventually culminated with Pretorius’ wicket, who perished in the 15th over after making 57 from 60 balls. He struck seven fours and a six in his brisk knock.

Despite the wicket, the Proteas batted at a brisk rate, with De Kock bringing his half-century off 48 balls. He added 43 for the second wicket with Tony de Zorzi as the scorecard read 141 in 24.4 overs.

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