Agha, Rizwan Tons Fire Pakistan Into Tri-Nations Series Final Against New Zealand
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Pakistan Pull Off Record-breaking Victory Over South Africa
With New Zealand having already booked their place in the Tri-Nations Series final with back-to-back wins, Pakistan and South Africa were left to fight it out for a spot in the showpiece to be played on Friday, February 14, at the National Stadium Karachi. While the Proteas entered the match as marginal favourites, Pakistan ended up upsetting the odds thanks to a couple of stunning innings by skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha.
The visitors made an excellent start to the match, with captain Temba Bavuma, youngster Matthew Breetzke and Heinrich Klaasen each notching up 80+ runs, while Kyle Verreynne ended unbeaten on 44. The Proteas' effort with the bat left them with a very defendable 352/5 off their 50 overs, but in the end, the hosts not only secured a massively morale-boosting victory but did so in some style and with an over to spare.
The returning Fakhar Zaman and stalwart Babar Azam gave the home side a solid platform with a 51-run opening partnership, but it was not until skipper Rizwan strode to the crease at 87/2 in the 10th over that the Shaheens really took flight. Despite Zaman departing in the following over, Rizwan and Agha put on an incredible 260-run stand for the fourth wicket which guided the team to victory while also smashing several records along the way.
Rizwan and Agha’s 260-run knock now stands as the highest for a fourth wicket in ODI history while chasing. In fact, their partnership is also only the fourth instance of a 200+ run stand for the fourth wicket in a chase. This was the first time that the defending Champions Trophy winners have successfully chased down a total of 350, with their previous best being 349 against Australia back in 2022.
Additionally, the Green Shirts also broke the Aussies’ record that has stood for over 20 years for the highest successful run-chase against the Proteas - the men from Down Under chased down 327 against South Africa back in 2002 in Gqeberha. However, perhaps the most impressive part of Rizwan and Agha’s record-breaking stand is that they managed it in just 229 balls at a sensational strike rate of 113.5.
Much has been made about Pakistan’s downward spiral in recent years, and controversy surrounding their team selection for the upcoming Champions Trophy has been rife. However, this victory would have put plenty of nerves at ease, and if they can deliver a similar performance against the Kiwis in the final this coming Friday, the Shaheens will enter their title defence with their tails up and as one to watch in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
