Pakistan secured a thrilling 2-wicket victory over South Africa in the first ODI of the 2025 series at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, marking the return of international cricket to the venue after 17 years.
Batting first, South Africa posted a competitive 263 runs, powered by Quinton de Kock's 63 and Lhuan-dre Pretorius' 57. In response, Pakistan overcame a tense chase and reached their target with two balls to spare.
Key performances included Salman Agha's impactful unbeaten 62 and Mohammad Rizwan's steady 55, with young pacers Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed claiming three wickets each to constrain South Africa's batting lineup.
The match unfolded with Pakistan winning the toss and electing to field, putting immediate pressure on the South African batsmen. Pretorius and de Kock provided a strong opening stand, but Pakistan's disciplined bowling, led by Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed, ensured wickets fell at regular intervals, limiting South Africa to 263.
The chase began promisingly with an 87-run partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub. However, the loss of captain Babar Azam early added to the pressure. Despite a few scares and wickets tumbling in the closing overs, resilience from Rizwan and Agha kept Pakistan in contention.
Salman Agha's calm and composed knock alongside Rizwan's experience swung the game in Pakistan's favor. In the final moments, Pakistan's pace trio tightened the run flow, and Naseem Shah's crucial delivery sealed a hard-fought victory for Pakistan, giving Shaheen Afridi a winning start as ODI captain.
This win puts Pakistan ahead 1-0 in the three-match series, with South Africa showing grit but falling short. The 2nd ODI will be played in Faisalabad on Thursday (November 6).
