POBNEWS24 Dhaka Dec 23, 2024 : Saim Ayub scored his second century in three matches. He also showed flashes with the ball. The young all-rounder’s brilliance helped Pakistan whitewash South Africa for the first time in a bilateral ODI series on home soil.
South Africa lost to Pakistan by 36 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain-affected third and final ODI at the Wanderers on Sunday, whitewashing them 3-0 in the three-match series.
Saim Ayub performed brilliantly with the ball after playing an innings of 1021 runs with the bat. He took 1 wicket for 34 runs in 10 overs. He also took two catches.
South Africa’s weakness against spin bowling was once again exposed in this match. Debutant legspinner Sufian Mukim took 4 wickets for 52 runs.
South Africa have won just one of three ODI series this year and failed again after losing to Afghanistan in Sharjah.
The team has won just two of six ODI series since white-ball coach Rob Walters took over in February 2023. On the other hand, this is Pakistan’s fifth consecutive bilateral series win after New Zealand, Afghanistan, Australia and Zimbabwe.
Saim Ayub is having a great tour of South Africa. After scoring an unbeaten 98 in the T20I at Centurion and 109 in the Paarl, he scored 101 against the Wanderers.
Pakistan elected to bat after losing the toss. After Abdullah Shafiq returned to the golden duck early on, Ayub put on a 114-run partnership with Babar Azam. Babar was dismissed for 52. Then Ayub put on another 93-run partnership with Mohammad Rizwan.
Ayub returned to the dressing room after hitting 13 fours and 2 sixes in a blistering century of 101 runs off 94 balls. Rizwan was dismissed for 53 off 52 balls.
Then, a 47-ball 74-run stand by Salman Agha and Tayyab Tahir for the sixth wicket took Pakistan’s score beyond 300. Pakistan scored 308 for 9.
In reply, South Africa were at 120 for 3 at one point. From there, they reduced their total to 212 for 7, knocking the Proteas out of the match.
Once again, Heinrich Klaasen tried to storm the team to victory. But his innings of 81 runs from 43 balls, which included 12 fours and 2 sixes, went in vain. The hosts were all out for 271 runs in 42 overs.
