Pakistan 308 for 9 (Ayub 101, Rizwan 53, Babar 52) batted South Africa 271 (Klaasen 81, Bosch 40*, Muqeem 4-52) by 36 runs (DLS)

The loss means South Africa have won just one in three ODI series this year, having also lost to Afghanistan in Sharjah, and two in six ODI series under white-ball coach Rob Walter, who took over in February 2023. Pakistan, on the other hand, completed a fifth consecutive bilateral series win after beating New Zealand, Afghanistan, Australia and Zimbabwe.

Opting to bowl first in overcast conditions, South Africa were unable to maximize their chances, despite Kagiso Rabada hitting the edge several times early on, then struggled with their disciplines later on. Bjorn Fortuin and Aiden Markam bowled 13 overs of spin between them for a collective economy of 5.6 an over, but the seamers were expensive. Marco Jansen’s nine overs cost 58 runs while Bosch and Kwena Maphaka, in his second ODI and first on his home ground, bowled 15 overs between them for 119 runs and took a wicket each.

Things started well for South Africa when Abdullah Shafique edged Rabada at second slip to register his third consecutive duck of the series. All of Shafique’s dismissals have stalled, which South Africa will remember ahead of next week’s Test. Play continued for just 17 more deliveries before rain kept the players off the field for an hour and a quarter.

Pakistan could have lost Babar 14 balls after the restart when he cut Jansen for point. Fortuin jumped to the right but got his hands in the wrong position and dropped the chance. Babar was 10, and would take some time to get into his rhythm. Instead, it was Ayub who took South Africa on with two drives from a Rabada over into the “v” and then two pull shots from Jansen to end the Powerplay with Pakistan at 42 for 1.

Maphaka was expensive in his first innings, which lasted just two overs and cost 17 runs, but Bosch immediately showed his potential with deliveries over 140km/h. Ayub boxed one of his deliveries but no major damage was done and he brought up 50 off 54 balls. Maphaka returned from the other end and initially Babar had the better of him, but the 18-year-old had the final say. He hit Babar on the lower hand and then tempted him with a short ball which Babar sent straight to David Miller and short mid-wicket. This year will be the first time since Babar’s debut in 2015 that he fails to score an ODI hundred.

Pakistan were 115 for 2 after 23 overs and added just six runs in the next three overs as Fortuin led the squeeze. The pressure was released when Ayub smoked Maphaka through the covers, fine leg and long-off in an 18-run over. Runs kept coming in boundaries for Ayub and he hit four fours and a six in the next seven balls to gallop into the 90s. He reached his century off 91 balls in the 34th over, with Pakistan 199 for 2.

Ayub got Bosch’s first international wicket when he gloved him down to Klaasen but left them in a good position. At that time, Rizwan was on 45 off 44 balls and partnered with great Kamran Ghulam. He couldn’t repeat his Newlands antics, where he smashed a 32-ball 63, but tried. He sliced ​​Fortuin high above the deck and was caught by Temba Bavuma.

Rizwan got to 50 off 48 balls but then edged Fortuin to short third to give him a second. Fortuin was one of two bowlers to bowl 10 overs and finish with 2 for 56. Rabada was the other and struck late in his last over as he removed Salman and Shaheen Shah Afridi in successive deliveries to take 3 for 56 .South Africa took four wickets in five balls for five runs to prevent some big blows coming to fruition at the end, but Salman and Tayyab had already done a lot of damage. They hit five fours and three sixes in their time together.

Pakistan’s innings was delayed by 15 minutes and interrupted by rain after 3.1 overs. The 75-minute break meant the game was reduced to 47 overs a side. Pakistan were 10 for 1 when the rain began and South Africa’s target was adjusted to chase 308. At 212 for 7 it looked like it was only mathematical, but Bosch’s 40 and run-a-ball stand at 38 and 21 for the eighth and ninth wickets kept them in it. They were bowled out for 271 in 42 overs.

It was always going to be a tough chase but South Africa’s reply started strongly and they were 24 after three overs before Bavuma played Naseem Shah to Ayub at one point. It is the second time in the series that Bavuma has taken his right hand off the handle while playing a shot, which could worry South Africa ahead of the Tests. Bavuma has only just returned to form after a left elbow injury.

Tony de Zorzi looked dangerous on the drive and pull but was bounced out by Afridi. Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen took South Africa to 15 overs at 80 for 2 before Markram gave his wicket to Muqeem’s first ball. Markram hit a dirty short ball straight to deep midwicket to leave South Africa in trouble even before enough overs had been bowled to call it a match.

Klaasen walked in to light rain and the DLS par score of 136 in 20 overs hanging over him and set off. He took on Muqeem, who bowled too flat and too short, but van der Dussen’s dismissal on the penultimate ball of the 20th over pointed South Africa back. Van der Dussen was out lbw to Mohammad Hasnain for 35, making it his 10th completed innings without an ODI half-century.

David Miller might have been South Africa’s last hope but Rizwan anticipated his lap-sweep from Ayub and was ready to take the catch in a leg slip position. South Africa were 123 for 5 and not even Klaasen’s single hand could get them over the line. He reached fifty off 29 balls, smashing Afridi for four fours in one over and 10 runs off three balls in his next over before hitting him to deep square leg and all but ending South Africa’s game. Bosch proved his worth as a lower-order hitter but ran out of batting partners. Rabada and Maphaka were dismissed in successive balls to give Muqeem his four-four and South Africa many questions ahead of the Champions Trophy.