Shaheen Afridi Reflects on Pakistan's Thrilling Win Over South Africa

FAISALABAD: Afridi praised his batsmen and was grateful to them for enabling Pakistan to win the first game of the three-match ODI series against South Africa in Iqbal Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan needed 264 to win, and they did so with two balls to spare while losing eight wickets. The win was anchored by outstanding performances from Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, who provided Pakistan with a steady foundation in the middle when things got trickier in the second innings.

Rizwan top-scored with a steady 55 off 74 balls, including six fours, while Salman Ali Agha contributed 62 off 71 balls, hitting five fours and a six.

Early in the match, South Africa were bowled out for 263 in 49.4 overs when they started the innings. Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah both took three wickets each in their productive spells. 

During the post-match presentation, Shaheen, leading the ODI side for the first time, reflected on the match and shared his perspective on Pakistan's performance.

“I think it was a normal game for me, nothing too special,” Shaheen said. “Whatever the situation is, you just have to give your best and not think beyond that. We initially thought there would be some swing early on with the ball and dew later in the evening, but things turned out completely different.”

Moreover, the young skipper lauded his batting unit for handling the pressure and helping the team recover from tricky situations, emphasizing the importance of consistency and experience in future matches.

“I’d give full credit to our batters; they managed things really well. We need more experienced and calm batting like this, especially on challenging surfaces,” he added.

Shaheen also noted that while small mistakes occur during a chase, the team would strive to learn and avoid them moving forward.

“That always happens, but we’ll try not to repeat it. A huge thanks to the Faisalabad crowd, cricket returned here after so long, and your support made it special,” Shaheen concluded.