Saim Ayub and Salman Agha lead Pakistan to victory in the first ODI

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Saim Ayub scored a superb 109 and Salman Agha starred with bat and ball as Pakistan defeated South Africa by three wickets in the first one-day international at Boland Park on Tuesday.

Left-handers Ayub and Salman (82 not out) shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 141 to save Pakistan from 60 for four.

Salman, who previously had a career-best bowling figure of four for 32 as South Africa were restricted to 239 for nine, was named man of the match – but he handed the trophy to Ayub.

“Without Ayub, we wouldn’t have won the game,” Salman said. “He was there with the new ball and prepared the game.”

There were still moments of concern for the tourists after Kagiso Rabada caught Ayub at good leg with 38 runs still needed.

Two more wickets fell before Salman reached the winning boundary with three balls to spare.

Heinrich Klaasen managed 86 off 97 balls in South Africa’s total of 239 for nine balls, but had to play more conservatively than usual after the innings stalled due to Salman’s off-spin.

South Africa got off to a fast start as Tony de Zorzi (33) and Ryan Rickelton (36) scored 70 for the first wicket in the 10-over powerplay.

But Salman, who had taken just 10 wickets at an effort of 50 runs each in the 27 previous one-day internationals, took the first four wickets inside 12 balls as South Africa slumped to 88 for four.

Spin bowling dominated with the slow bowlers bowling a total of 27 overs and taking seven wickets for 107 runs.

The 22-year-old Ayub followed up an unbeaten 98 in a losing cause with an innings of skill and maturity in a Twenty20 international at Centurion last Friday.

Ayub and Salman steadied the innings before steadily increasing their strike rate.

The game turned dramatically in Pakistan’s favor when Ottneil Baartman returned to the bowling attack in the 35th over. Baartman had conceded two for nine balls in five overs in his first over, but Ayub bowled his first two balls for six in one over, yielding 22 runs.

South Africa suffered a blow during the warm-up when Keshav Maharaj, their best spin bowler, suffered a groin strain and had to retire.

Short results:

South Africa 239-9 in 50 overs (T. de Zorzi 33, R. Rickelton 36, A. Markram 35, H. Klaasen 86; Salman Agha 4-32, Abrar Ahmed 2-32)

Pakistan 242-7 in 49.3 overs (Saim Ayub 109, Salman Agha 82 not out; K. Rabada 2-48, O. Baartman 2-37)

Result: Pakistan won by three wickets

Series: Pakistan leads the three-match series 1-0

Litter: South Africa

Remaining games:

December 19, Cape Town

December 22, Johannesburg

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