JOHANNESBURG: Saim Ayub smashed a blistering century and debutant Sufiyan Muqeem claimed a four-wicket haul to help Pakistan clinch a thrilling victory against South Africa in the third ODI at The Wanderers Stadium here on Sunday.
Pakistan, under the inspired leadership of Mohammad Rizwan, became the first-ever team to clean sweep the Proteas in an ODI series in South Africa.
In a repeat of the second ODI, Pakistan were invited to bat first, and opening batter Abdullah Shafique walked back in the first over, registering his third consecutive duck.
Babar Azam joined Saim Ayub at the crease; however, they had to rush back due to rain, which resulted in the match being reduced to 47 overs per side.
They resumed their innings after the rain break and built a solid partnership of 114 runs from 133 balls, during which they both reached their individual half-centuries.
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However, Kwena Maphaka broke the stand as he removed Babar, who scored 52 runs from 71 balls with the help of seven boundaries.
Saim was joined by skipper Mohammad Rizwan and they increased the scoring rate with their 93-run stand that conceded only 75 balls.
Saim fell prey to debutant Corbin Bosch right after reaching his century, going back with a quick 101-run knock from 94 balls, laced with 15 boundaries that included two sixes.
Rizwan departed soon after playing a 52-ball knock of 53 runs, which featured five boundaries and one six.
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Salman Ali Agha then played a quick-fire knock of 48 runs from 33 balls and added a crucial partnership of 74 runs with Tayyab Tahir (28) before Kagiso Rabada ended his entertaining knock.
Rabada dismissed Shaheen Afridi on the first ball, which Marco Jansen removed Tayyab and Mohammad Hasnain (4) in the last over to restrict Pakistan to 308-9 in the allocated 47 overs.
Rabada led the wicket with three wickets, while Jansen and Bjorn Fortuin claimed two wickets each. Maphaka and Bosch contributed with one wicket each.
PLAYING XIs
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Sufiyan Muqeem.
South Africa: Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kwena Maphaka, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada.
More to follow…
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