PAARL: Salman Ali Agha took four key wickets to help Pakistan restrict South Africa to 239-9 in the first ODI of the three-match series here at Boland Park on Tuesday.
South Africa’s stand-in captain Aiden Markram chose to bat first after winning the coin toss against Pakistan’s formidable bowling attack.
The decision seemed to bore fruits initially as Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton built a 70-run opening stand in 59 balls before Salman Ali Agha turned things around with his off-spin bowling.
De Zorzi scored 33 off 25 with the help of six boundaries, while Rickelton struck seven fours on his way to a 38-ball 36.
Salman removed both batters in successive overs, followed by the wickets of Rassie van der Dussen and Tristan Stubbs (1) in his fourth over to leave South Africa reeling at 88-4.
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Markram (35) and Heinrich Klaasen then joined hands to take the hosts out of the trouble with a 73-run stand for the fifth wicket before Saim Ayub broke the budding partnership.
Klaasen then waged a lone war, playing a brilliant knock of 86 runs from 97 balls, which featured seven fours and two sixes, to take his team’s total beyond the 200-run mark.
Shaheen Shah Afridi ended Klaasen’s knock before Kagiso Rabada (11) and Ottneil Baartman (10*) added crucial 21 runs for the ninth wicket.
Rabada got run-out on the last ball of the innings as South Africa finished with 239-9.
Salman Ali Agha led Pakistan’s bowling attack with his figures of 4-32, while Abrar Ahmed took two wickets.
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PLAYING XIs
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has been rested and Aiden Markram is leading the team in his absence. Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj, who was initially named in the Playing XI had a late niggle and was replaced by Andile Phehlukwayo.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s star players Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who missed the tour of Zimbabwe, have been returned to the side.
Meanwhile, Abrar Ahmed, who made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe last month, has been selected as the sole spinner in the Playing XI
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Ottneil Baartman, Tabraiz Shamsi
READ: Babar Azam eyes major milestones during South Africa ODIs