KARACHI: A wave of joy swept across the buzzing National Bank Stadium on Wednesday as Mohammad Rizwan (122*) and Salman Ali Agha (134) delivered heroic centuries, guiding Pakistan to an unforgettable victory.
With their remarkable partnership, the home side achieved the unachievable – registering their highest-ever ODI run-chase by six wickets.
Pakistan will now face an unbeaten New Zealand in the final on February 14 in Karachi. Chasing a formidable 353-run target, Pakistan got off to a strong start, with Babar Azam playing some exquisite strokes during his 23-run knock, including four boundaries, before falling to Wiaan Mulder with the scoreboard reading 57.
However, after Babar’s departure, Pakistan suffered a collapse, losing three wickets for just 34 runs, making the chase look increasingly unlikely. Fakhar Zaman added 41 from 28 balls, hitting six fours and a six, while Saud Shakeel contributed 15 off 16 balls. But then, the stage was set for Rizwan and Salman, as both batters played the innings of their lives. Rizwan anchored the chase with 122 off 128 balls, including nine fours and three sixes. Meanwhile, Salman adopted an aggressive approach, scoring 134 off 103 balls with 16 fours and two sixes.
Their record-breaking 260-run partnership for the fourth wicket took Pakistan to the brink of victory before Salman was dismissed by Lungi Ngidi in the penultimate over. Tayyab Tahir struck the winning boundary, securing a memorable win with an over to spare.
For South Africa, Mulder claimed two wickets, while Ngidi and Corbin Bosch took one each.
Earlier, South Africa posted a towering total of 352 for the loss of 5 wickets batting first in their allotted 50 overs, in what was a high-stake encounter for both teams aiming for a spot in the final. The Proteas openers provided a stable start, with Tony de Zorzi and Mathew Breetzke notching up 51 runs.
For Pakistan, the first breakthrough came courtesy of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who removed Tony de Zorzi for 22 runs, with a sharp catch taken by Salman Ali Aga at first slip.
However, the home team bowlers couldn’t capitalise on this moment, allowing South African captain Temba Bavuma and Breetzke to counterattack and build a solid 119-run partnership for the second wicket.
Bavuma, with his characteristic resilience, struck 10 fours in his 96-ball knock of 82, holding one end brilliantly before being run out in the 29th over.
The run-out came courtesy of a bullseye throw from Saud Shakeel from the backward point region after a miscommunication between Bavuma and his partner.
Breetzke, again in fine touch, scored 83 off 84 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. He was dismissed by spinner Khushdil Shah in the 39th over after Salman Agha took a sensational catch at short cover.
In the process, Breetzke also set a record for the most runs by any player after two ODIs (233), having scored a century in South Africa’s first match against New Zealand. For the third wicket, Heinrich Klaasen and Breetzke put on a 68-run partnership.
The match began to heat up when Shaheen interfered with Breetzke while running for a single, resulting in a heated exchange between the players.
But even after Breetzke’s departure, Klaasen unleashed his characteristic aggression. The Pakistani bowlers had briefly slowed the scoring rate with two quick wickets, but it was Klaasen who seized the moment with a fiery knock of his own, blasting 87 runs off just 56 balls, including 11 boundaries and three sixes.
Both Kyle Verreynne (44) and Klaasen shared a partnership of 78 runs for the sixth wicket, before Corbin Bosch added 15 runs off nine balls, helping South Africa reach a massive total on the lightning-fast outfield of the newly-upgraded National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets for 66 runs, while Naseem Shah picked up one wicket for 68 runs. Muhammad Hasnain was expensive, conceding 72 runs in eight overs without taking any wicket.
