Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan lauded his team’s collective performance after a thrilling victory over South Africa in the first ODI in Paarl. The visitors chased down a challenging target, led by stellar knocks from Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha, to secure a narrow win with three balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.  

Rizwan acknowledged South Africa’s strong start but credited Pakistan’s spinners for turning the game around. "Their openers got a good start, but our spinners put the squeeze on them. Ayub and Agha played mature knocks. After a long time, we have seen a knock like Agha's,” Rizwan said.  

The skipper highlighted the importance of middle-over breakthroughs in ODI cricket. "In ODIs, if you get wickets after the powerplay and in the middle overs, you are always in the game," he explained.  

Rizwan also expressed pride in his role as captain, emphasizing the importance of unity within the team. "My job is to keep the team together, and I’m happy to see Agha give the award to Saim," he added.  

Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Agha’s career-best four-wicket haul, restricted South Africa to 239 despite a gritty 86 from Heinrich Klaasen. Chasing the target, Pakistan recovered from 60/4 thanks to a game-changing 141-run partnership between Ayub and Agha. Ayub’s century and Agha’s unbeaten 82 proved decisive in the end.  

Both teams will now travel to Cape Town, where they will face off in the second ODI on Thursday, December 19.