The hosts snatched victory with just two balls to spare.
South Africa’s second-string team were handed a narrow two-wicket defeat yesterday in the first of three one-day international (ODI) matches against Pakistan in Faisalabad.
After drawing 1-1 in the preceding Test series with a full-strength squad, the Proteas fell in a 2-1 defeat in the T20 campaign against the hosts last week, with multiple senior players being rested ahead of a tour to India starting later this month.
Again turning out with an under-strength side, who were knocked back by the late withdrawal of injured big-hitting batter Dewald Brevis, the SA team put up a fight but ultimately fell short in a nail-biting opening ODI fixture.
Set a target of 264 runs to win, Pakistan were carried by their middle-order, with Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha sharing 91 runs for the fourth wicket.
The Proteas were given some hope in the 39th over of the innings when Rizwan was caught by Lhuan-dre Pretorius at backward square leg off a Corbin Bosch delivery, after contributing 55 runs.
And Agha skied a Lungi Ngidi delivery which was safely held by Donovan Ferreira in the 48th over, keeping the Proteas in the hunt.
But Pakistan’s lower order guided them home with just two balls to spare as they reached 264/8.
Proteas innings
Earlier, after being sent in to bat, comeback star Quinton de Kock (playing his first ODI in two years) and teenager Pretorius (making his ODI debut) got the Proteas off to a good start.
De Kock made 63 runs off 71 balls and Pretorius hit 57 off 60, with the duo combining in a 98-run stand for the first wicket.
And after they were removed, stand-in captain Matthew Breetzke hit 42 off 54, while fellow middle-order batter Bosch made 41 off 40 as the Proteas compiled 263 runs before they were bowled out in the final over of their innings.
However, after struggling to contain the top-order, Pakistan’s bowlers were superb at the death, restricting the tourists well as they gave their batters a chance to take the series lead.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah spearheaded the Pakistan attack, taking 3/40, and spinner Abrar Ahmed grabbed 3/53 to keep the Proteas middle-order under pressure.
The second fixture of the three-match ODI series between SA and Pakistan will be played in Faisalabad on Thursday.
