Tuesday sees South Africa and Pakistan move on to the third and final leg of their 2025 tour of Pakistan. This tour included a Test series that was drawn (1-1) and a three-match T20I series that Pakistan won 2-1 after taking the third and final game on Saturday.
Here is a look ahead at the contest.
Pakistan VS South Africa Venue: Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
Pakistan VS South Africa 1st ODI Date: Tuesday, November 4
Pakistan VS South Africa Odds:
History
The Proteas will be looking to end this tour on a high after failing to claim a series win in either the Tests or the T20Is. The Tests felt like a minor victory, with South Africa salvaging a draw after losing the first Test, but the T20I series was frustrating, as the third game felt winnable going into it.
Pakistan won the toss for the third consecutive match and again put South Africa in to bat first. The Proteas have struggled with the bat this series, posting scores of 194 in the first T20I and just 119 in the second. That run of low totals continued, with the tourists making just 139 from their 20 overs. Reeza Hendricks once again top-scored, this time with 34.
It was a very achievable target, but it was one Pakistan struggled to meet. They eventually ran down South Africa in the 19 overs, winning by four wickets in the back of a 47-ball 68 blast from key man Barba Azam. Corbin Bosch was the pick of the Proteas bowlers, claiming two wickets at the cost of 24 runs.
Pakistan
This was what Pakistan fans expected of Azam. It was his 37th half-century in the international T20 game, and his imperious striking of the ball singlehandedly kept South Africa at bay.
Saim Ayub was one of several Pakistani batsmen who were flattering to deceive. His six-ball duck was the low point of an innings that should have been much more comfortable, given the modest total to chase. Ayub needs a performance on Tuesday.
South Africa
That South Africa was able to post a total over a ton was a hard graft after Shaheen Shah Afridi collected the wickets of Quinton de Kock and Luhan-dre Prerotius in an electric first over. Dewald Brevis (21) and Donocan Ferreira (29) were scalped just as they looked to settle into rhythms to drive the Proteus to a much bigger score.
Best Bets
This is the first international cricket in Faisalabad for 17 years, so wicket familiarity is non-existent.
Pakistan’s ODI form has been bad this year. They lost a triangular series final to New Zealand, didn’t even make the semifinals of the Champions Trophy (as hosts), and lost 2-1 in the West Indies.
South Africa is understrength. Captain Temba Bavuma is one of eight top-end white ball players who will miss this series.
It will be difficult for the batting lineup to stand up to a combination of captain Afridi and Pakistan’s best pacers, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
If I were playing props, I like Azam (a player known for his ability to get insane streaks) to keep his form going and be the top batsman at 4/1. Rauf is my pick of the Pakistan bowlers, also at 4/1.
