Pak versus SA: Skipper Babar Azam's century sets up win for Green Shirts in exciting ODI challenge
CENTURION: A century by Babar Azam set up a three-wicket, last-ball win for Pakistan in the first day global against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.
The Pakistan commander hit a stroke-filled 103 off 104 balls and shared a second-wicket association of 177 with Imam-ul-Haq, who made 70.
Be that as it may, Babar's excusal begun a breakdown in which quick bowler Anrich Nortje took four wickets in four overs.
From 186 for one, with in excess of 18 overs close by to arrive at an objective of 274, Pakistan drooped to 203 for five preceding Mohammad Rizwan and Shadab Khan steadied the innings again in a 6th wicket remain of 53.
In any case, both were excused before Faheem Ashraf hit the triumphant run off Andile Phehlukwayo off the last ball.
"There was a smidgen of pressing factor however we will gain from that," Babar said through a translator at the after-match introduction.
Babar, who was named man of the match, adulated his bowlers, who came surprisingly close to accomplishing his target of confining South Africa to a sum of around 270 after he won the throw and sent them in.
"I advised them to bowl hard lengths and there was some swing also," he said.
"They took wickets in the strategic maneuver and that helped us."
Rassie van der Dussen needed to play out a salvage represent South Africa after the hosts battled to 55 for four inside 15 overs.
He hit 123 not out, his lady worldwide century, to empower South Africa to score 273 for six.
South African commander Temba Bavuma conceded the deficiency of early wickets upset South Africa's forceful purpose.
"We didn't assist ourselves with our batting exertion in the initial ten overs," he said.
The success gave Pakistan a significant benefit in the three-match arrangement, with South Africa set to lose five central participants to the Indian Premier League after Sunday's second match in Johannesburg.
Nortje, one of the individuals who will leave for India, yielded 31 runs in his first spell of five overs yet returned firmly, excusing Babar and Iman in progressive overs prior to having new cap Danish Aziz got behind off an awful, lifting conveyance.
At the point when Asif Ali was gotten off a top-edged force, South Africa were directly back in the game. Nortje got done with four for 51.
Rizwan, who was man of the arrangement in the two Tests and Twenty20 conflicts against South Africa in Pakistan prior in the year, again showed a quiet personality as he and Shadab agreed with their stance near triumph.
However, Rizwan and Shadab both died to over-aspiring shots against the medium-paced Phehlukwayo as the match went down to the last ball.
Van der Dussen and David Miller (50) restored South Africa's innings before with a fourth-wicket remain of 116.
Van der Dussen and Phehlukwayo (29) at that point added 64 for the 6th wicket.
The 32-year-old Van der Dussen had been excused multiple times in the nineties - twice in one-day internationals and once in a Test match - since making his introduction two seasons back.
He took 80 balls to arrive at his fifty however lifted the rhythm of his innings to get done with ten fours and two sixes off 134 balls.