Pakistan will aim to seal their three-match ODI series against South Africa in the second game at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, on Thursday, following a tense two-wicket victory in the series opener. Chasing 264, the hosts managed to cross the finish line with only a couple of balls remaining on a pitch that increasingly assisted spinners in the later stages.
Also Read: Arshad Nadeem to Compete with Coach Amid AFP Ban
Pakistan, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, elected to field first, facing a challenging start as South African openers dominated early, reaching 98 without loss. The tourists were 191-3 in 33 overs before Pakistan’s spinners triggered a late collapse. The pitch is expected to favor batsmen early, though spinners could again prove decisive in the latter half of the match.
South Africa will look to adjust quickly to local conditions and counter Pakistan’s diverse bowling attack, which includes Shaheen, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, and part-time spinner Saim Ayub. Ayub was named player of the match in the first ODI, contributing 39 runs and taking 2-39 in eight overs.
Ahead of the second ODI, the South African team trained at Iqbal Stadium on Wednesday, while Pakistan rested. The tourists focused on warm-up drills covering batting, bowling, and fielding.
Following the first match, Shaheen praised Pakistan’s batters for their composure under pressure. “Our bowlers came back in the last 10 overs to restrict South Africa to a reasonable total. But credit goes to our batters, who handled the situation well on a wicket that offered both turn and swing in the latter stages,” he said. Shaheen also noted that tense finishes are part of cricket, adding that Pakistan will aim to close matches more decisively in the future.
Wicket-keeper and batter Mohammad Rizwan defended Pakistan’s decision to bowl first. He explained that the decision considered conditions at the ground, including the dew factor later in the day. “The batting looked easy early in the innings, but the dew came into play later. It was a combined decision by us,” Rizwan said. He also acknowledged that Pakistan should have wrapped up the first match earlier, citing himself and Salman Ali Agha being well-set at 196-3 in the 39th over.
Rizwan praised the support from fans, highlighting that home crowds provide consistent encouragement regardless of the city. “Wherever we play at home—Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, or Faisalabad—we get the same support, and it sends an important message to visiting teams,” he added.
From the South African perspective, pacer Corbin Bosch noted that the pitch offered significant help to spinners. “It was a new-ball wicket that was tough to bat on. The ball turned in the later stages, and spinners played a crucial role for both teams,” Bosch said. He added that South Africa might have fallen slightly short in their total, estimating they were about 15 runs short of setting Pakistan a more challenging target.
As the series moves into its second ODI, Pakistan will look to build on their opener’s success, leveraging their balanced bowling attack and experienced batting lineup to secure a series win against the touring South Africans.
