SA vs PAK (3rd ODI) – Highlights
Pakistan produced a commanding all-round display to outclass South Africa by seven wickets in the third and final ODI at Faisalabad on November 8, 2025. The victory sealed the series for the hosts as they chased down a modest target of 144 with more than 24 overs to spare. The star of the show was leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who bamboozled the visitors with a superb four-wicket haul, earning him the Player of the Match award.
After being asked to bat first, South Africa got off to a steady start courtesy of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Quinton de Kock. The pair stitched together a 72-run opening partnership that gave the Proteas some early hope of a competitive total. De Kock, who was later named Player of the Series for his consistency across the three games, top-scored again with 53 off 70 balls, hitting six fours and a six. Pretorius played a brisk knock of 39 off 45 deliveries before falling to Agha Salman, who provided the crucial breakthrough for Pakistan.
Once the opening partnership was broken, SA innings unraveled dramatically. Abrar Ahmed spun a web around the middle order, dismissing Captain Matthew Breetzke, Rubin Hermann, Donovan Ferreira, and Corbin Bosch in quick succession. His clever use of flight and variations left the Proteas completely clueless. Mohammad Nawaz also chipped in with two wickets, including the key scalp of De Kock, while Shaheen Shah Afridi cleaned up the tail with two wickets of his own. South Africa crumbled from a steady 87 for 2 to 143 all out in just 37.5 overs, losing their last eight wickets for a mere 56 runs.
Chasing 144, PAK suffered an early blow when Fakhar Zaman was dismissed for a duck by Nandre Burger in the very first over. However, Saim Ayub quickly took control of the innings with a stunning display of stroke play. The young left-hander looked in sublime touch, smashing 77 off just 70 deliveries with 11 fours and a six. His aggressive intent kept the scoreboard ticking and ensured Pakistan never felt any pressure during the chase.
Captain Babar Azam contributed a fluent 27 off 32 balls before being run out against the flow of play, while Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on 32 to guide Pakistan home. Salman Agha finished things off in style with a boundary as Pakistan reached 144 for 3 in just 25.1 overs. The emphatic win not only gave PAK the series but also highlighted their bowling depth and top-order strength ahead of a busy international season.
For SA, the defeat exposed their frailties against spin and lack of middle-order resilience. Despite De Kock’s excellent series, the visitors struggled to build partnerships beyond their openers. Pakistan, on the other hand, will take great confidence from the performance of their spinners and the composure of their young batters, particularly Saim Ayub, who continues to mature with each outing.
South Africa vs Pakistan Scoreboard
South Africa – 143/10 (37.5)
Pakistan – 144/3 (25.1)
Result – Pakistan won by 7 wickets (with 149 balls remaining)
Player of the Match – Abrar Ahmed
Abrar Ahmed
SA vs PAK Playing XIs
South Africa | Matthew Breetzke (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Tony de Zorzi, Rubin Hermann, Donovan Ferreira, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Nqabayomzi Peter, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi |
Pakistan | Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf |
Disclaimer: The following match highlights are based on the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider these perspectives and form their own conclusions.
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