NEW DELHI: With a decisive six-wicket victory against South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday, Pakistan advanced to the tri-series final thanks to hundreds from Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha.
With a stunning 122 not out, Rizwan led Pakistan’s most successful chase in all one-day internationals, reaching 353 in 49 overs, while Salman hammered 134 for his first century at the National Stadium.
In the event’s final, which serves as a crucial prelude to the Champions Trophy, which begins next week, Pakistan will now play New Zealand at the same venue on Friday.
Matthew Breetzke‘s record of most runs by a batsman in his first two one-day internationals, which was 150 and 83, was eclipsed by the hundreds that Rizwan and Salman scored.
South Africa had amassed an impressive 352-5 thanks to Breetzke’s innings.
Salman and Rizwan put together a game-changing partnership of 260, setting a new record for Pakistan’s fourth wicket, surpassing the 206 put up by Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik against India at Centurion in 2009.
As they surpassed Pakistan’s previous best successful chase of 349 against Australia in Lahore in 2022, their scorching innings should help allay concerns about the team’s weak batting.
Salman scored 16 boundaries and two sixes in his 103-ball knock, while Rizwan blasted nine boundaries and three sixes off 128 balls.
Earlier, after South Africa won the toss, Breetzke followed up his best-ever debut score against New Zealand in Lahore on Monday with a visually appealing 84-ball 83, laced with a six and 10 boundaries.
Breetzke surpassed West Indian Desmond Haynes’s total of 195 runs in his first two games in 1978, before being brilliantly caught by spinner Khushdil Shah.
Temba Bavuma (82) and Heinrich Klaasen (87) both contributed to the tourists’ impressive score, which was unabated by Pakistan’s renowned bowling assault.
As the batsman tried to finish a run, irate Pakistani fast bowler Shaheen Afridi aggressively argued with Breetzke because wickets were not falling.
Shaheen and his opponent made physical contact and spoke back and forth before being separated by umpire Asif Yaqoob.
Two of the South African team’s four changes, Tony de Zorzi (22), and Bavuma, put on 51 for the first stand. Breetzke and the captain then put together a second-wicket stand of 119.
After hitting 13 boundaries in his 96-ball knock, Bavuma was run out.
In the final 10 overs, the South Africans added 110 runs thanks to Klaasen’s quick 56-ball knock, which included three sixes and eleven boundaries.
With 44 and 15, respectively, Kyle Verreynne and Corbin Bosch were still in the game, helping South Africa surpass 350.
