PAK vs SA 1st ODI - Pakistan Survives Thrilling South Africa Scare to Seal 2-Wicket Win in 1st ODI

The Pakistani National Cricket Team, under the leadership of newly appointed ODI skipper Shaheen Afridi defeated the Mathhew Breetzke-led South Africa by a margin of two wickets and this victory has helped them take a lead of 1-0 in the three-match 50-over series at Faisalabad's Iqbal Stadium on Tuesday.

The visitors posted a decent score of 263 runs on the board in 49 overs, with wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock playing a good hand with his innings of 63 runs while young star Lhuan-dre Pretorious contributed 57 runs. The Pakistani bowlers shared the wicktes amongthemselves in an even manner, with right arm pacer Naseem Shah picking up three scalps for 40 runs, leggi Abrar Ahmed (3-53) while part-timer Saim Ayub also dismissed two South African batters.

In response, the Shaheens chased down the target of 264 runs comfortably in 49.4 overs for the loss of eight wickets. Salman Agha anchored the chase with a calm knock of 62 runs in 71 deliveries and he received an ample amount of support from wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan (55 runs). Opening batter Fakhar Zaman also contributed with 45 runs while his partner Saim Ayub scored 39 runs. Despite suffering a middle-order collapse, the skipper Afridi gudied the Green Shirts home safely with an unbeaten knock of four runs.

For South Africa, fast-bowler Lungisiani Ngidi and spinner Donovan Ferreira took 2 wickets each, while the trio of George Linde, Bjorn Fortuin & Corbin Bosch dismissed one Pakistani batter a piece. Donovan Ferreira, making his One-Day International debut, impressed with figures of 2-53.

Lhua-dre-Pretorius and de Kock, who combined for 98 runs for the first wicket, gave the visitors a good start. But in the middle overs, Pakistan's spinners reduced the pace of scoring. Donovan Ferreira and Matthew Breetzke were dismissed by Abrar Ahmed's double breakthrough, leaving South Africa at 202 for five. Before the innings ended in the last over, Corbin Bosch's late 41 put the total over 260.

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