Pakistan advanced to the final of the Tri-Nation Series against New Zealand after defeating South Africa in the elimination match by six wickets courtesy of Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha’s record partnership on Wednesday night in Karachi.
Chasing a daunting 353-run target at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, the home side knocked the winning runs for the loss of four wickets and six balls to spare, thanks to a record fourth-wicket partnership between Agha and Rizwan.
Pakistan, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as their ace batter Babar Azam continued to struggle in his role as an opener and was dismissed by Wiaan Mulder on the first delivery of the seventh over.
The right-handed batter scored 23 off 19 deliveries with the help of four boundaries.
Pakistan’s in-form opener Fakhar Zaman then stitched a brief 36-run partnership for the second wicket with Saud Shakeel before both perished in quick succession, bringing the total down to 91/3 in 10.4 overs.
Fakhar scored 41 off 28 deliveries with the help of six fours and a six, while Saud made a 16-ball 15.
Following the slump, Salman Ali Agha joined Mohammad Rizwan in the middle and turned the game on its head by recording the highest partnership for Pakistan in an ODI run chase.
The duo added a record 260 runs for the fourth wicket until Lungi Ngidi got rid of Salman on the fifth delivery of the penultimate over.
Agha top-scored for Pakistan with 134 off 103 deliveries, studded with 16 fours and two sixes.
Rizwan, on the other hand, carried his bat all the way through with an unbeaten 122 off 128 deliveries, laced with nine fours and three sixes.
For South Africa, Mulder bagged two wickets, while Ngidi and Corbin Bosch made one scalp apiece.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma’s decision to bat first paid dividends as the visitors racked up 352/5 in their allotted 50 overs.
The Proteas got off to a decent start to their innings as their new opening pair of Tony de Zorzi and skipper Bavuma added 51 runs for the first wicket.
The opening stand culminated on the last delivery of the eighth over when Shaheen Shah Afridi got de Zorzi caught at the first slip.
The left-handed opener made 21 from 18 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.
Bavuma was then joined by in-form Matthew Breetzke in the middle and the duo laid a solid foundation for a massive total by putting together a 119-run partnership for the second wicket.
The century-plus stand ended when Bavuma got run out, courtesy of a direct hit from Saud Shakeel.
The South African captain struck 13 boundaries on his way to a 96-ball 82.
Breetzke then shared a 68-run partnership with Klaasen before falling victim to Khushdil Shah in the 39th over.
He scored 83 off 84 deliveries, laced with 10 fours and a six.
South Africa then suffered another blow to their batting expedition when Afridi dismissed Wiaan Mulder for two in the next over.
But Klaasen, unfazed by the back-to-back blows, launched a late onslaught and pushed South Africa’s total past the 300-run mark.
The right-handed batter eventually perished in the 48th over after top-scoring for the touring side with a 56-ball 87, studded with 11 fours and three sixes.
Afridi was the standout bowler for Pakistan, picking up two wickets for 66 runs in his 10 overs, while Khushdil and Naseem Shah chipped in with one scalp apiece.
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