Brilliant century from Saim Ayub followed by a controlled team bowling performance guided Pakistan to a 3-0 ODI series sweep against South Africa on Monday (IST).
Pakistan have consigned South Africa to their first-ever clean sweep defeat in a home men's ODI series, defeating the Proteas by 36 runs (DLS Method) in a rain-hit match.
Third ODI: Saim Ayub orchestrates victory with century for second time in the series and debutant Sufyan Moqim chimes in with figures of 4-52, while half-centuries from skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. Saim bowled 1-34 off 10 overs.
Ayub compiled his second century of the series (101), also claiming 1/34 with the ball as he teamed up with four fellow wicket-takers to close out the performance.
Put in to bat, Pakistan started shakily after opener Abdullah Shafique was dismissed facing his first ball. Saim and Babar Azam steadied the innings, putting on a commanding 115-run partnership.
Babar's impressive 52-run knock came to an end and gave a platform for skipper Mohammad Rizwan to build on, hitting the ground running with 53 off 52 and forming a resilient 93-run stand with Ayub.
Ayub's brilliant knock was ended when Corbin Bosch's astute over resulted in an edge to Heinrich Klaasen behind the wickets, and Salman Agha and Tayyab Tahir were at the end of Pakistan, giving them a respectable score of 308/9.
South Africa, who were tasked with chasing 309, got off to a flyer at 24/0 after the first three overs but lost wickets at short intervals in the first 21 overs, which they slid to 123-5.
It began with Naseem Shah drawing first blood as he sent Temba Bavuma back into the hut in the fourth over. Shaheen Shah Afridi then followed suit and got rid of Tony de Zorzi for a 23-ball 26.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan opened his account with the scalp of Aiden Markram, leaving South Africa 80-3 in 15.1 overs. Mohammad Hasnain and Saim Ayub picked two more blows in the 20th and 21st overs, knocking Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller, respectively.
Klaasen, walking in to bat at 80-3, struck 12 fours and two sixes during his 43-ball stay on the crease. He also shared a 71-run stand with Marco Jansen, who became Sufyan's second scalp in the 32nd over. Klaasen departed in the 29th over, falling to Shaheen.
South Africa needed 96 of the last 15 overs, with three wickets still in hand when Corbin Bosch went all out on the tail, only to run out of partners as South Africa failed by 36 runs as the match ended 30 balls early.
Aside from Sufyan's four for, Naseem and Shaheen claimed two scalps each while Hasnain and Saim took the wicket of one opponent each.
Brief scores: Pakistan 308/9 (Ayub 101, Rizwan 53, Babar 52; Kagiso Rabada 3-56) beat South Africa 271 (Klaasen 81, Bosch 40*, Sufiyan Muqeem 4-52; ) by 36 runs (DLS)
Read also| BGT: Shastri Advises Rohit to Apply White-Ball Mindset While Batting at No. 6
Read also| Kohli, Smith, Root Will Decide Retirement on Their Terms, Says Greg Chappell
