Pakistan made history by becoming the first team to whitewash South Africa in a bilateral ODI series on their home soil. The three-match series showcased Pakistan’s all-round dominance, spearheaded by Saim Ayub’s stellar performances and key contributions from both bat and ball.
The series began in Paarl, where Saim Ayub’s second ODI century 109 and Salman Ali Agha’s all-round brilliance led Pakistan to a thrilling victory. Chasing a modest target of 240, Pakistan found themselves in trouble at 60 for 4 before Ayub and Agha turned the game around with a 141-run partnership. Agha’s unbeaten 82 and Ayub’s explosive innings sealed the chase with three balls to spare. Earlier, Agha had also shone with the ball, taking 4 wickets, while disciplined spells from Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed restricted South Africa to 239. Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s gritty 86, the hosts fell short.
In the second ODI at Cape Town, Kamran Ghulam’s blistering 63 off 32 balls and Shaheen Afridi’s 4 for 47 helped Pakistan secure an 81-run victory, clinching the series. After a shaky start, Pakistan posted 330, thanks to a crucial 115-run stand between Mohammad Rizwan (80) and Babar Azam (73), followed by late fireworks from Ghulam and Salman Ali Agha. South Africa, despite Klaasen’s fighting 97, were bowled out for 248, as Naseem Shah (3 for 37) and Afridi dismantled their batting lineup.
The final ODI in Johannesburg witnessed another commanding performance by Pakistan, resulting in a 36-run win via the DLS method. Saim Ayub smashed his second century of the series (101), supported by Babar Azam (52) and Mohammad Rizwan (53), to propel Pakistan to 308 in their rain-adjusted 47 overs. Debutant wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem dazzled with figures of 4 for 52, exploiting South Africa’s vulnerability against spin. Heinrich Klaasen’s explosive 81 kept the hosts in contention, but lack of support from other batters sealed their fate.
The whitewash marks Pakistan’s fifth consecutive bilateral ODI series victory and highlights their resurgence as a formidable side.