Match Details

PAK vs SA 1st ODI, PAK vs SA 2021

PAK

277-750.0

Pakistan won by 3 wickets

50.0273-6

Match info

Live

Scorecard

Player of the Match

Babar Azam

Pakistan

103(104)

PAK - 2nd Innings

Session	Open	PASS
10 Over	46	37

SA - 1st Innings

Session	Open	PASS
10 Over	52	43
20 Over	86	86
30 Over	133	143
35 Over	173	166
40 Over	201	191
50 Over	266	273

Commentary

So, that is it from me, Arjun Bhalla, and my co-commentators, Anurag Dasgupta and Akshay Bhide. Stay tuned for a lot more coverage from OneCricket.

Arjun: Pakistan has taken a one-up lead in the series opener. We all are all set for a cracking Pink ODI to be played on April 4. South Africa will hoping to make a solid comeback, whereas, the visitors will be eyeing to seal the series with another win.

Babar Azam | Pakistan captain | Player of the Match: The wicket had a bit of moisture and we tried to utlize, so credit to our bowlers for capitalizing. They took wickets in the powerplay and restricted them to 270 odd. I just told the bowlers to hit the hard length and not bowl boundary balls. We stuck to our plan and we restricted them. When I went in, I just want to play to my strenghts. I was hoping to get a partnership with Imam and we got a big one. To be honest, when the wickets fell I was nervous and the pressure was on with that Nortje spell. Hopefully we will learn from our mistakes. We need to take the confidence from this win into the next game and hopefully close the series.

Temba Bavuma | South Africa captain: Not the result we were looking for, but a good game of cricket. We were tested in all departments, and tested to our limits. A good start to the series, but we have areas to improve in. I think the batting didn't help especially in the first 10 overs. The David/Rassie partnership helped, but it was too much to expect off them. The Imam-Babar stand took it away from us, and we were always on the backfoot from then. The guys are naturally aggressive, Aiden and Quinny up front, and our options didn't come off, and they looked like soft dismissals, mine included. The options we take, we need to execute them much better than we did today. I think we need to look at areas that we need to improve on, and we need to take the positives into the next game. We need to win the next two to win the series and there's no hiding behind that.

Arjun: Pakistan had Rizwan and Shadab in the middle and the duo scored 53 runs together to rescue Pakistan from an appalling state. However, the drama was still awaiting. Rizwan lost his temperament after scoring 40 odd runs and gave his wicket to Phehlukwayo. Soon followed Shabad, after getting two lifelines and the game turned on his head yet again. But in the end, the drama ended as Faheem Ashraf finished the game by scoring the winning runs on the last ball on the game.

Arjun: The visitors lost Fakhar early but then came Babar Azam to join hands with Imam-ul-Haq for good. The pair stitched a vital partnership of 177 runs. The skipper scored his 13th ODI ton and his opener played a handful knock of 70 runs. However, a twist was awaiting. Bavuma brought back Nortje in the attack and the pacer removed the opposition skipper in the first over of his second spell and then took Imam's wicket as well. Soon Nortje got two more scalps and Pakistan was reduced to 203 for 5.

Arjun: PAKISTAN HAS SEALED THE DEAL. ASHRAF HAS FINISHED OFF THE GAME! What a contest, it has been. Full of rollercoasters. The visiting started the game by taking four wickets up-top, but from there Dussen and Miller brought the Proteas back in the game and gave Pakistan a target of 274 runs to chase. And what chase it has been!

OVER 50.0

Pakistan

277/7

Faheem Ashraf

8(10)

Shaheen Afridi

0(0)

Andile Phehlukwayo

2-59(10.0)

49.6 Andile Phehlukwayo to Faheem Ashraf

4 It's through the in-field and Pakistan win the contest. Slower ball way outside off, Faheem reaches out to it and cuts it in the gap past cover point for a boundary. A big sigh of relief for Pakistan as they have managed to get over the line with 3 wickets in hand

Arjun: It's Pakistan cricket; one minute down, next minute up. Scores are leveled. Are we heading for a Superover?

49.5 Andile Phehlukwayo to Faheem Ashraf

2 Slower ball around off, Faheem hits it over straight over the bowler's head and Afridi scampers back for the second. 1 from 1 now. Are we in for a Super Over?

Arjun: Oh dear! Oh goodness. Three off two balls! Pakistan is losing their game. It was Pakistan's game.

49.4 Andile Phehlukwayo to Faheem Ashraf

0 Make that 4 dots in a row. A slower bouncer from Phehlukwayo outside off, Faheem leaves it alone and watches it all the way to de Kock

Akshay: 3 off 6 becomes 3 off 3 now. That's what you get when Pakistan is playing.

49.3 Andile Phehlukwayo to Faheem Ashraf

0 Another dot. What is going on? A sharp bouncer from Phehlukwayo and Faheem goes for the pull and gets beaten and gets hit flush on the helmet. The physio is out in the middle conducting concussion protocols

49.2 Andile Phehlukwayo to Faheem Ashraf

0 In the slot outside off, Faheem drives it hard straight to mid off. Dot ball. A precious dot ball

New batsman on crease

Career

Shaheen Afridi

21 yrs

Best

MATCHES22
RUNS52
SR70.00
AVG17.00

Out

Shadab Khan

33(30)

c Rassie van der Dussen b Andile Phehlukwayo

4s/6s

2/1

110.00

Arjun: OFCOURSE, the drama continues... Shadab Khan goes for the glory hit and he has finally been dismissed. Phehlukwayo brings another change to the game. The well-set batter is gone!