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Babar Azam (Photo by Gordon Arons / Gallo Images)
Temba Bavuma’s international captaincy started on a strained and losing note on Friday when Babar Azam’s majestic 103 helped Pakistan to a thrilling three-course victory against South Africa in the first ODI at SuperSport Park in Centurion.
SCORE | Proteas in Pakistan, 1st ODI
Pakistan, who were ahead of the eight ball at most junctures, ended up having a bad time chasing South Africa’s 273/6 which was bolstered by Rassie van der Dussen’s excellent 123 *.
Pakistan was sailing 186/1 in 32nd, but when Anrich Nortje (4/51) swept through Pakistan’s middle order with a fierce spell, the visitors were 206/5 in 38th.
Mohammad Rizwan, South Africa’s enemy during the tour of Pakistan earlier this year, put out the flames in Nortje and appeared to be guiding visitors home.
He fell to Andile Phehlukwayo (2/56) in the 48th and Shadab Khan (33) survived two chances in the 49th where Van Der Dussen couldn’t catch up with his skier.
On the next ball, Ngidi threw a high pitch that was declared no ball. He hit the free throw for four and drew three from the last ball of 49 to leave Pakistan with three to enter the final.
Shadab then poked Van der Dussen on the first ball of the last bowling ball from Phehlukwayo, who did his best to defend the goal.
Faheem Ashraf (five) cut the last ball wide to secure victory and ensure that Azam’s work was not wasted.
Compiling his 13th ODI hundred with just 103 balls, Azam (103) was flawless. His bat was a wand that created hitting magic that SA simply had no answer to.
He became the fastest hitter to reach 13 ODI tons (76 innings), beating out players like Hashim Amla (83), Virat Kohli, Quinton de Kock (86) and David Warner (91).
There wasn’t much foot movement, but hand-eye coordination, her hands, and the luscious work of her wrist manipulated the spaces and found limits at will.
He stroked 17 of them while Bavuma watched helplessly as his bowlers failed to find the antidote to his fascinating hitting.
It was an entry that deserved a crowd of ability, a regular thing for Centurion when Pakistan plays there.
That Nortje coaxed an outside edge that was well hit by Quinton de Kock the ball after it reached its benchmark encapsulated SA’s bowling effort.
Azam may have given a tough chance when he had three that Aiden Markram took from Lungi Ngidi, but everything else SA threw at him, he nonviolently hit him where he wanted.
During his 177-run second wicket association with Imam-ul-Haq (70) that spanned 181 balls, Azam not only shrugged off Fakhar Zaman’s early loss to Kagiso Rabada (1/51) that left Pakistan in 9 / 1, but apparently there was the chase on a rope.
That they got off to a slow start was no problem, but when threatening clouds appeared Azam picked up the pace and by the time Pakistan’s chase reached the 20 overs needed to make a game they were 93/1, six ahead of Duckworth / Lewis. / Aft target.
Where limits were not available, the strike was rotated to excellent effect. Imam only got three fours and one six right.
However, Nortje had a great influence on the game.
After taking Azam out, he forced a wrong pull from the Imam that Rabada took halfway.
Danish rookie Aziz (three) threw a fierce Nortje goalie at De Kock before picking up his Cape Town Blitz teammate Asif Ali (two) who chose Phehlukwayo on the fine leg.
Nortje’s second spell saw him rack up 4/20, but he was unable to dislodge Rizwan, whose 53-run association with Khan soothed growing nerves.
SA owed its competitive goal to Van der Dussen’s gutsy ton after being 55/4 after 14.2 overs.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (2/61) had eliminated De Kock (20) and Markram in the same over, while Mohammed Hasnain (1/52) dumped Bavuma (one) to leave SA reeling at 43/3 in the eighth over.
Van Der Dussen survived a strong opportunity Ali dropped before scoring and Heinrich Klaasen’s constipation of 21 balls that left SA in a rut at 55/4 in the 15th over.
A 116-race partnership on fifth field with David Miller (50) stabilized innings before successive 64- and 38-run partnerships with Phehlukwayo (29) and Rabada (13 *) helped set the competitive goal.
Azam’s magic went a long way in making sure that it wasn’t, despite Nortje’s fight and death’s bowling game.
