South Africa’s promising start with the bat was not enough to avoid a narrow two-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the opening ODI at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Tuesday.
Despite early control of the game, the collapse of the Proteas’ middle order and late nerves with the ball saw Pakistan chase down 264 with two balls to spare – their highest successful chase at the venue.
Batting first, South Africa looked solid through openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Quinton de Kock, who combined for a fluid 98-run stand. Pretorius impressed on debut, reaching a half-century off 53 balls and eventually scoring 60 off 61, showing maturity beyond his years. De Kock, playing his first ODI in two years, added 63 off 71 deliveries in a welcome return to form. However, after both fell in quick succession, the Pakistani spinners reversed the momentum.
Skipper Matthew Breetzke (42) and debutant Sinethemba Qeshile (22) tried to keep things steady but the lower order struggled as the field slowed down. South Africa lost nine wickets for just 116 runs, folding for 263 in 49.1 overs. Corbin Bosch (41 off 40) added some late resistance but the Proteas knew they were at least 20 runs short of an impressive total.
Pakistan’s chase started confidently, with Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman putting on 87 runs for the first wicket before South Africa hit back, dismissing three batters for just 18 runs – including skipper Babar Azam for seven. That gave the Proteas a lifeline but Muhammad Rizwan (55 off 74) and Salman Ali Agha kept Pakistan steady with a vital 91-point partnership that got the hosts back on track.
South Africa refused to give in and took regular wickets in the closing stages to take the game deep. Lungi Ngidi, Bosch and Donovan Ferreira claimed two wickets each, while Bjorn Fortuin’s economical 1/38 from 10 overs kept the pressure on. But Pakistan’s tail held their nerve, with Shaheen Shah Afridi’s towering six and a last-over leg sealing victory in front of a roaring crowd in Faisalabad.
After the match, Breetzke admitted his side was “20-30 runs short” but praised his bowlers for fighting until the end. With two matches remaining at the same venue, South Africa will look to build on their positives – particularly the form of Pretorius and De Kock – as they look to level the three-match series on Thursday.
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