Pakistan has etched its name in the cricket history books by becoming the first team in the 21st century to win three ODI series in South Africa. Their historic achievement came after defeating South Africa by 81 runs in the second ODI of the series. Pakistan set a challenging target of 330 for South Africa, with Babar Azam contributing 73 runs, Mohammad Rizwan adding 80, and Kamran Ghulam making 63 runs. South Africa was bowled out for 248, with Heinrich Klaasen's 97 runs being the standout performance.
This victory not only secured Pakistan's series win but also added another prestigious achievement to their record. They became the first team to win three ODI series in South Africa, following previous triumphs in 2013 and 2021. Notably, this marks Pakistan’s third series win out of just seven attempts, whereas Australia, the only other team to win three ODI series in South Africa, took 10 attempts.
The series victory is a massive boost for Pakistan, giving them excellent momentum ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in February. The event will be held in a hybrid model, with India playing its matches in Dubai, and Pakistan will aim to carry forward their strong form into the tournament and defend their 2017 title, which they won by defeating India.
