Written by: Holofelang Mogane
The preparations for the 2027 ICC Men’s World Cup in Southern Africa has commenced for the Proteas, as they take to the ODI stage with their three-match series against Pakistan at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
The Iqbal Stadium hosts an international match for the 1st time in 17 years, and the three-match series is a test for the Proteas to familiarise themselves with the sub-continental conditions, as they will look to seal their preparations for the tough tour to India, where the two sides will do battle in T20i, ODI, and test cricket later in the month.
In terms of the head-to-head statistics, the home side has won four of their last five meetings against South Africa, with their last meeting dating back to 12 February 2025, where Pakistan defeated South Africa by 6 wickets in the tri-nations series in Karachi.
Unfortunately, the Proteas had to play their 1st ODI match against Pakistan without Dewald Brevis, as he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of the encounter in Faisalabad.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to field 1st, putting South Africa on the crease. ODI debutant, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, and Quinton De Kock were the opening batters for the Proteas. De Kock and Pretorius got their respective centuries, which gave the Proteas a stellar start to their innings. Pretorius made an impressive start as he took charge of their partnership, with De Kock playing the supporting role until he started recording runs only after 3 overs. The pair collected 62 runs after the 1st power play, and Pretorius collected his half-century on debut for the Proteas.
The pair added 98 runs off 96 balls, putting the Pakistan bowling attack under pressure. After 15.6 overs, Pretorius was dismissed for 57 runs off 60 deliveries, and his innings included seven 4’s and just a single 6. De Kock became the 2nd casualty after his half-century, as he was dismissed for 63 runs off 71 deliveries. Tony De Zorzi only put 18 runs on the board off 20 deliveries, as Saim Ayub caught and bowled him inside 25.4 overs.
Matthew Breetzke tried to breathe life into the Proteas’ innings, but he fell eight runs short of his half-century as he was dismissed for 42 runs off 54 deliveries. Corbin Bosch was nine runs away, as he was out for 41 runs of 40 deliveries. Sinethemba Qeshile contributed 22 runs off 23 deliveries, whilst there were single-digit runs recorded by Donovan Ferreira (3 runs off 11 deliveries), George Linde (2 runs off 9 deliveries), Bjorn Fortuin (a duck off 1 delivery), Lizaad Williams (1 run off 3 deliveries), and Lungi Ngidi remained on the crease as he was on a duck off 5 deliveries.
From Pakistan’s bowling performance, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed collected their respective hat-tricks of wickets, with Shah collecting 3-40 after 9.1 overs, and Ahmed’s 3-53 after 9 overs. Saim Ayub has also contributed 2-39 after 8 overs, whilst Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Afridi collected a wicket each.
The Proteas were dismissed for 263 runs after 49.1 overs, putting a target for Pakistan to chase, to win the 1st ODI match in front of 16 484 spectators at the Iqbal Stadium.
Pakistan started quite well, with their openers Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman putting up an 87-run partnership, before Ayub became Pakistan’s 1st casualty, having been dismissed for 39 runs off 42 deliveries, including four 4’s and a single 6. The home side became very shaky as they lost three wickets for 18 runs, including a major scalp of Babar Azam for 7 runs of 12 deliveries. But the home side’s ship began to look steady, as Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman set up a remarkable partnership of 91 runs off 111 deliveries, as they look to take Pakistan to a comfortable victory. But South Africa’s fighting spirit pushed Pakistan to a point of nerves, as Corbin Bosch’s delivery to Rizwan was caught by Lhuan-Dre Pretorius at midwicket, where he made the impressive catch. Rizwan made 55 runs off 74 deliveries in his innings, which included six 4’s, which looked to have been enough.
Mohammad Talat joined Salman on the crease and was later dismissed for 22 runs off 25 deliveries after 45.5 overs. Hassan Nawaz joined Salman, but went out for just a single run off three deliveries in 46.5 overs. Salman’s reign on the crease came to an end after he was dismissed for 62 runs off 71 deliveries, and his innings included five 4’s and a single 6.
But Shaheen Shah Afridi brought Pakistan back to the right path, as he hit a six to bring Pakistan back on track in ensuring the victory for the home side. Despite a late scare posed by South Africa, Pakistan’s Naseem Shah faced a delivery which hit his leg, and travels towards backward square to ensure Pakistan seals the victory and collects the 1st victory of the three-match series in Faisalabad.
The Proteas’ bowling department performed well, as Lungisani Ngidi, Donovan Ferreira, and Corbin Bosch collected two wickets each, with Ngidi collecting 2-46 after 9 overs, Ferreira collecting 2-53 after 9 overs, and Bosch collecting 2-32 after 6.4 overs. George Linde and Bjorn Fortuin have a wicket each.
The Proteas are looking to respond in the 2nd ODI clash at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Thursday, before the series wraps up on Saturday, before they jet off to India for their tour, including the start of their World Test Championship title defence, whilst continuing with their preparations for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in Southern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia).
