Saim Ayub’s Century and Sufiyan Muqeem’s Four-Wicket Haul Lead Pakistan to Landmark Triumph in Johannesburg
Johannesburg [South Africa], December 23: Pakistan achieved a historic 3-0 ODI series clean sweep against South Africa after a 36-run victory in the third ODI at Johannesburg, powered by a sensational century from Saim Ayub and clinical bowling performances from Sufiyan Muqeem, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah, according to ICC Cricket.
This victory comes on the heels of Pakistan’s historic ODI series win in Australia, marking a significant boost in confidence for the team. Meanwhile, this series defeat represents South Africa’s first-ever ODI series clean sweep loss at home.
Saim Ayub Shines with Third ODI Century
- After being sent to bat first, Pakistan faced early pressure as Abdullah Shafique fell for a golden duck.
- Saim Ayub (101 off 94 balls, 13 fours, 2 sixes) joined forces with Babar Azam (52 off 71 balls, 7 fours) to stitch a solid 115-run partnership.
- Skipper Mohammad Rizwan (53 off 52 balls, 5 fours, 1 six) further stabilized the innings with a 93-run stand alongside Ayub.
- Late contributions from Salman Agha (48 off 33 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Tayyab Tahir (28 off 24 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) propelled Pakistan to a competitive total of 308/9.
Kagiso Rabada was the standout bowler for South Africa, finishing with figures of 3/56, while Marco Jansen and Bjorn Fortuin picked up two wickets each.
Pakistan’s Bowling Dominates Despite Klaasen’s Resistance
Chasing 309 for victory, South Africa started aggressively but faltered after Naseem Shah (2/63) dismissed Temba Bavuma (8) early.
- Aiden Markram (19 off 26 balls) and Rassie van der Dussen (35 off 52 balls) attempted to rebuild, but Sufiyan Muqeem (4/52) disrupted their momentum.
- Heinrich Klaasen (81 off 43 balls, 12 fours, 2 sixes) fought valiantly, building a 71-run partnership with Marco Jansen (26 off 23 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes).
- Shaheen Afridi (2/70) dismissed Klaasen, halting South Africa’s resurgence.
- Muqeem returned to clean up the tail, sealing South Africa’s innings at 271 runs in 42 overs.
Key Takeaways
- Player of the Match: Saim Ayub
- Player of the Series: Saim Ayub
This series victory marks a historic achievement for Pakistan cricket, demonstrating resilience, teamwork, and exceptional performances in both batting and bowling departments.
