Pakistan Secures Historic ODI Victory Against South Africa in Karachi

Source: Pakistan Secures Historic ODI Victory Against South Africa in Karachi

Pakistan pulled off their highest-ever One Day International (ODI) run chase, defeating South Africa by six wickets in a high-scoring thriller at the National Stadium, Karachi. Led by stellar centuries from Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan successfully chased down a daunting 352-run target with six balls to spare in the ongoing Tri-Nation Series.

Winning the toss, South Africa opted to bat first and capitalized on a batting-friendly pitch. Captain Temba Bavuma led from the front, scoring a composed 82 off 96 balls, while Matthew Breetzke (83 off 74) and Heinrich Klaasen (87 off 60) played aggressive knocks to push the total past 350.

Despite a disciplined bowling effort from Shaheen Afridi (2/64) and Haris Rauf (1/72), Pakistan struggled to contain South Africa’s explosive middle-order. David Miller’s late 43 off 22 balls provided the finishing touch, helping South Africa post 352/5 in 50 overs.

Pakistan’s chase got off to a shaky start, with Babar Azam (27) and Fakhar Zaman (31) falling early. At 91/3, South Africa seemed in control, but a match-winning 260-run partnership between Salman Ali Agha (134 off 121) and Mohammad Rizwan (122 off 108)* turned the game around.

Agha played the anchor role while Rizwan accelerated in the later stages, finishing the match in style with a boundary in the 49th over. Pakistan reached 353/4, surpassing their previous highest chase of 349 against Australia in 2022.

“This victory means a lot for our team,” said Rizwan in the post-match presentation. “We were confident of chasing 350, and Salman played exceptionally well.”

This win highlights the growing reliability of Pakistan’s middle order, with Rizwan and Agha stepping up under pressure. Their ability to anchor and accelerate proved decisive in the chase.Despite having a formidable target, South Africa’s bowlers lacked penetration in the middle overs. Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi failed to contain Pakistan’s batters, conceding over 7.5 runs per over.

Pakistan’s successful chase against a top-tier team like South Africa sends a strong message ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, which will be hosted in Pakistan. Their ability to chase a massive total under pressure will boost their confidence for future tournaments.

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Waseem Qadri senior Journalist, TV show host and Editor THINK TANK JOURNAL based in Islamabad can be followed on X at @jaranwaliya

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